The Philadelphia Eagles’ decision to sign edge rusher Bryce Huff to a three-year, $51 million contract last offseason was meant to fill the void left by trading Haason Reddick. However, the move has not panned out as hoped, and with Huff skipping Organized Team Activities (OTAs) after missing offseason workouts in 2024, his future with the team looks uncertain. Reports from Philadelphia, including from The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane, suggest Huff is “unlikely to be part of the Eagles’ plans for 2025.” But moving on from Huff could prove to be a costly mistake, both financially and strategically, and recent NFL trade history offers a cautionary tale.
Huff’s 2024 season was underwhelming, to say the least. Playing fewer than 300 snaps due to a wrist injury and even being a healthy scratch during the Super Bowl, Huff failed to live up to the expectations set by his $34 million fully guaranteed contract. His deal includes a hefty $16.75 million commitment for 2025, all guaranteed, with an additional $17.1 million (non-guaranteed) due in 2026. For context, that $16.75 million for 2025 is nearly $3 million more than Reddick’s salary with Tampa Bay this year, despite Reddick’s proven track record. For a player with just 2.5 sacks in 2024 and limited snaps, finding a trade partner willing to absorb such a contract is a tall order.
The Eagles face a dilemma: keep Huff and hope he rebounds, or cut their losses and move on. Cutting him outright would be financially painful. By designating a post-June 1st cut, the Eagles could split the cap hit, but they’d still be on the hook for a $15.58 million option bonus and a $1.17 million base salary, both fully guaranteed. This would result in dead cap hits of $7.41 million in 2025 and a staggering $21.84 million in 2026. For a player who contributed so little last season, that’s a bitter pill to swallow—even for the reigning Super Bowl champions.
Trading Huff might seem like a better option, but recent history suggests the Eagles shouldn’t expect much in return. Look at the case of Josh Uche, a pass-rush specialist similar to Huff, who was traded from the New England Patriots to the Kansas City Chiefs last fall for a mere sixth-round pick in 2026. Uche was playing on a one-year, $3 million deal—less than one-sixth of Huff’s 2025 salary. Like Huff, Uche is a situational player, with a career-high of 374 snaps in a season compared to Huff’s max of 480. If Uche’s trade value was a sixth-rounder, Huff’s market, coming off an injury-plagued season and with a massive contract, is likely even lower. Even if the Eagles eat a significant portion of Huff’s 2025 salary, they might still only get a “throwaway” late-round pick in return.
This situation eerily mirrors the Eagles’ decision to trade Reddick, who they replaced with Huff in the first place. Reddick, a proven star, was moved for what now looks like a bargain compared to Huff’s contract. The Eagles’ gamble on Huff as a younger, high-upside replacement hasn’t paid off, and doubling down by cutting or trading him for minimal return could compound the mistake. Retaining Huff, even in a limited role, might actually be more valuable than the negligible draft capital they’d likely receive in a trade. His situational pass-rushing ability could still contribute to a contending roster, especially if he regains form.
The Eagles’ front office must weigh their options carefully. Dumping Huff could free up roster space but at a steep financial and strategic cost. Recent history, like the Uche trade, shows that the market for players like Huff is thin, and the Eagles might regret moving on too hastily. For now, finding a way to make it work with Huff in 2025 might be their best bet—because the alternative could haunt them for years to come.