49ers’ Bryce Huff has put negative Philadelphia experience behind him

SANTA CLARA — Bryce Huff became a marked man in the third week of September.

It was then that Nick Bosa was lost for the season with a torn ACL against Arizona, which made Huff the closest thing the 49ers had to a true edge rusher. Instead of Bosa getting the extra attention in terms of chip blocks and double teams, it was Huff.

“I did have some more chips,” Huff said Wednesday. “You miss his presence in every facet of the game. I just tried to keep going out there, making plays with the guys that we have and getting better with the guys that are out there.”

The 49ers (12-5) visit Philadelphia (11-6) Sunday (Fox, 1:30 p.m.) in an NFC wild-card playoff game.

Huff arrived by trade after a disappointing season in Philadelphia, where he signed a three-year contract worth a maximum of $51.1 million, only to sustain a wrist injury, a shoulder injury and play in a defensive system that wasn’t aligned with his strengths.

“I felt like it was really important for me, coming back and doing what I’m good at, rushing out of my stance and rushing with the guys in this room,” Huff said.

The Bosa-less 49ers finished with just 20 sacks, one more than the Tennessee Titans had in 2020 with 19 — the lowest total of the 21st century. And that was the year the NFL schedule was 16 games. Huff was the 49ers’ co-leader with four along with Clelin Ferrell, who arrived eight games into the season as a street free agent.

Huff’s last sack came on Oct. 19 against Atlanta. He’s been conspicuously quiet other than flushing Caleb Williams from the pocket on the game’s final play in a 42-38 win over the Chicago Bears in Week 17.

If Huff harbors any grudges against the Eagles, he keeps it well hidden.

“It was mainly just dropping into coverage and playing out of a two-point stance, where it’s not the power you like out of the ground like in a four-point stance,” Huff said. “Being a lighter guy, it helps to have that leverage and that angle. When I came back from an injury, the playing time wasn’t there and it kind of messed up my rhythm a good bit.”

At 6-foot-4, 255 pounds, Huff at his best has good bend and some twitch to his game. With the New York Jets in 2023, Huff played with his hand in the ground with Saleh as the head coach and had 10 sacks. The plan was to lean into that kind of role by keeping him fresh and using him mostly in passing situations. Bosa’s absence had a ripple effect across the line that hurt Huff most of all.

Saleh’s plan to have Bosa and Huff on the edges with first-round draft pick Mykel Williams and Yetur Gross-Matos playing the inside in nickel situations never materialized. Williams was lost to a torn ACL on Nov. 2 and Gross-Matos has been limited to nine games with hamstring and knee issues.

“It affects a ton,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Having two big edges is a big deal, and then being able to move people like Mykel inside with Yetur, it’s two good edge rushers and two good inside rushers that affect everything. It’s been challenging losing the group.”

Huff missed two games due to injury but still had a career high 538 snaps.

“I think because of the issues we’ve had on the D-line with injuries, we’ve had to play him more than we want, which is never a good thing for a guy who really majors in pass rush situations. But he’s had to do it for our team and I think he’s held up fine doing it.”

Huff said he’s proud of the way he held up throughout the season after playing just 12 games and a career low 285 last season.

“I have played a good bit this year, especially with the way the numbers fluctuated in the room, but I feel good,” Huff said.

Huff has also been someone to look up to for younger players such as Williams, Alfred Collins and C.J. West.

“He’s a player with experience and you know he’s been through it,” West said. “He’s been with different teams, different coaching staffs. Being able to get advice from him is always helpful, especially us rookies. He looks out for us.”

Ferrell said the defensive line as a group understands getting more push in the playoffs is a must, and that the 49ers have another chance to do just that.

“Everybody wanted more numbers, but there are a lot of guys that had numbers that are at home right now and we have a chance to be in the playoffs,” Ferrell said. “A lot of people might want to say different things about him. But I think Bryce is happy to be in the playoffs and he’s been a great leader for us.”

Injury front

Left tackle Trent Williams (ankle), wide receiver Ricky Pearsall Jr. (knee), defensive end Keion White and linebacker Dee Winters (ankle) did not practice. Tight end George Kittle (ankle), Gross-Matos (knee) and linebacker/special teams player Luke Gifford (quad) were limited.

The status of Williams and Pearsall figures to go late into the week. Shanahan said Pearsall’s knee was re-injured in the win over Chicago.

Wide receiver Jacob Cowing, who has missed all season with a hamstring injury and has been on injured reserve, had his practice window opened. Shanahan said it was unlikely Cowing would be ready to play this week.

Key players for the Eagles who were limited in practice included defensive tackle Jalen Carter  (hip), tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) and tackle Lane Johnson (foot).

Shanahan and Fangio’s mutual admiration

Shanahan wanted to hire Philadelphia’s Vic Fangio as his defensive coordinator upon arrival in San Francisco in 2017 but Fangio was under contract with the Chicago Bears. After being fired by the Denver Broncos as head coach, Fangio attended some 49ers OTA practices and Shanahan was interested in hiring him again in case his own coordinator DeMeco Ryans got a head coaching job.

The 49ers, however, got some bad news on Jan 29, the same day they lost 31-7 to Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Game in which quarterback Brock Purdy tore his UCL. Fangio agreed to terms with Miami that day.

“Vic’s a guy that I’ve always respected, gone against a number of times before I became a head coach, so that’s why I respect him so much and through the process been able to become friends with him,” Shanahan said.

Fangio, who said he almost worked with Kyle Shanahan on a couple of occasions, told reporters the 49ers’ offense has been changing and mutating since the younger Shanahan worked with his father Mike in Washington from 2010-13.

The 49ers defensive coordinator under Jim Harbaugh from 2011-14, Fangio has fond memories of his four years.

“We had a lot of success, won a lot of games, went to three straight championship games, one Super Bowl,” Fangio said. “I had a lot of great players that I still keep in touch with.”

QBs share Niver Award

Quarterbacks Brock Purdy had nine starts and Mac Jones eight, and, fittingly, they’re sharing the Garry Niver Award, as presented by the Pro Football Writers of America’s 49ers chapter in recognition of their professionalism and cooperation.

Right tackle Colton McKivitz placed third, and others receiving votes this week were Trent Williams, Christian McCaffrey, Deommodore Lenoir and 2024 winner George Kittle.

The Niver Award has been shared twice previously: 2009 between quarterbacks Alex Smith and Shaun Hill, and 2021 between Williams and Jimmy Garoppolo.