Week 17 places a clear spotlight on an area of the San Francisco 49ers defense that has lacked consistency throughout the campaign: pressure off the edge.
While the Niners have struggled to generate steady disruption from a group they’ve added talent at over the last few years, this week against the Chicago Bears presents an opportunity for one player to tilt the balance: Bryce Huff, who has emerged as the leader on the perimeter.
For Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, he’s at his most dangerous when plays break down. His comfort operating outside of structure and willingness to attack downfield late in the down puts immense stress on coverage units, and that reality makes pocket compression critical.
For Huff, that’s where his alignment flexibility makes him important this week.
Whether he is working off the left tackle or matched up against former first-rounder Darnell Wright on the right side, his first-step quickness and ability to convert speed to power give San Francisco a chance to win individual matchups. Even when Huff doesn’t finish the play himself, his push upfield can narrow escape lanes and take away clean throwing windows, forcing Williams into hurried decisions. Which in turn, leads to opportunities for the backend to make plays.
And although it hasn’t been consistent in 2025, defensive efficiency for San Francisco improves dramatically when pressure comes from the front four. It allows the secondary to remain disciplined, and prevents the defense from overcommitting resources to the rush against a quarterback who thrives on improvisation.
For Huff, if he can consistently stress the pocket, it shortens Williams’ internal clock and increases the likelihood of turnover-worthy plays, whether through off-platform throws or late attempts across the middle.
A dominant edge performance across the board isn’t what the 49ers need, rather it’s a tone-setter who can dictate protection and force the offense to adjust. Huff has filled that role more often than any other edge rusher this season, and his pressure numbers (41 in six starts) reflect a player winning reps even when the splash plays are limited.
If he’s able to control his side of the line and compress the pocket early, San Francisco’s defense gains a pathway to turnovers and negative plays.
And in a critical Week 17 matchup of two of the NFC’s elite, his presence off the edge could define how disruptive the 49ers are defensively from the opening snap.