Eagles defensive end Bryce Huff is nearing a return after having wrist surgery earlier in the season.
Bryce Huff has been ruled out against the Commanders on Sunday, but he's grateful that he's going to return at all this season.
"One hundred percent," Huff said. "Because it was just hurting and I was kind of mad that I wasn't able to use my hand. I felt like I was just wasting reps so I decided to get it done. I'm glad I can be back for the (end of the) season."
Huff, 26, had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist on Nov. 21 and is nearing a return from Injured Reserve. He participated in practice this week after his practice window was opened.
The surgery, Huff said, did the trick. He has way more functionality in that wrist than he did in November when he eventually elected to have the procedure.
Huff played for a couple weeks with the torn ligament before deciding to get it taken care of with the hopes of returning for the stretch run and the playoffs. He said before the surgery, he felt like he was wasting reps without the functionality of his left hand.
"I was just trying to progress and find ways to get better so I could use my hand," Huff said. "It was just to the point where I couldn't really use my hand so I just figured might as well get the surgery done and get back in time for the end of the season and the postseason."
While Huff's season before the injury didn't go to plan, he will have a chance to add value to the Eagles' edge rusher rotation in the playoffs. Without Huff and Brandon Graham (torn triceps), the Eagles have been down to a three-man rotation at edge rusher in recent weeks. When Huff is activated, he'll make that a four-man rotation.
The Eagles signed Huff to a three-year, $51.1 million deal this offseason and projected him as a starter but Huff struggled in that role. It seems likely that when he does return to the field, he'll be in a more specified pass rusher role.
Huff was frustrated by the injury because he felt like he was starting to turn the corner after a rough start to his season. Huff had 2 1/2 sacks in the six games before landing on IR.
"It was frustrating being out being out because I felt like I was getting better and better," he said. "It was cool watching the guys taking up more snaps and playing well and making good plays and stuff. So that was cool."
During practice this week, Huff was wearing a removable cast on his left hand/wrist and will need to wear it during games for the rest of this season. But even with that cast, he has way more range of motion than he did before the injury.
Because the injury was a torn ligament, Huff said when he hit somebody, he felt his wrist "light up." Since surgery, that's not happening anymore.
"But like I said before, because of the surgery, I can actually use my hand," Huff said. "It's just a lot better."