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Bryce Huff knew almost immediately that his time with the Philadelphia Eagles wasn't going to work. Despite helping Philadelphia on its path to capture a Super Bowl title, the fifth-year defensive end felt out of place from the start. He said he wanted out before the season even began. That wish came true in June, when the Eagles traded Huff to the San Francisco 49ers, giving him a fresh start on the West Coast.

"If I'm being 100% honest with you, I wanted a trade, like, fairly early on," Huff said last week on "TheSFNiners" podcast. "And just 'cause of how things went in Philly, I knew pretty early on that it wasn't a fit."

Huff came off a career-best season in 2023 before signing a three-year deal with Philadelphia in March 2024. He logged 10 sacks that season with the New York Jets, who initially signed Huff as an undrafted free agent in 2020. The move to the Eagles came with high expectations, but quickly revealed itself as a mismatch.

Huff played in 12 games last season, missing five with a torn ligament in his wrist. He was inactive for the Super Bowl. Huff posted just 13 total tackles with 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

"Being a signing of that magnitude and being undrafted and going and getting that contract and being in Philly, the expectations are at an all-time high," Huff said. "I knew a trade wasn't going to happen during the season, but I had just kind of talked to my agent about it. I was like, 'When it's all said and done, I might need to step, just to be able to put myself in the best position to ball out and have a fruitful career.'"

San Francisco could turn out to be the perfect spot for Huff to reset and thrive. There is familiarity with defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who returns to the 49ers after a four-year stint as head coach of the Jets. Huff played under Saleh in New York and produced the best season of his career in that system -- a promising sign as he looks to make an immediate impact in the Bay Area opposite five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Nick Bosa.

With a new environment, a familiar coach and a proven track record, Huff has a clear opportunity to reestablish himself as a disruptive edge rusher. After feeling miscast in Philadelphia despite the team's Super Bowl success, he's now in a system that better suits his game.

"There's a plethora of things that went down," Huff said. "I don't wanna get into specifics. Being in the league for five years, I kinda knew what it felt like for me to be in a good situation. I was just like, I got to look out for myself and do what I think is best. I kind of knew where it was headed fairly early on into the season -- probably even training camp, if I'm being honest with you. So when everything popped off, it was kind of just like, let's get to work."