Eli

Harold

Harold was involved in a player-for-player trade this preseason, but he didn’t do enough with his limited time to crack the Eagles’ active roster.

It’s a rare player-for-player preseason trade. Harold was on a one-year flyer with the Bills, but he was buried behind Jerry Hughes, Trent Murphy and Shaq Lawson. He’ll have a clearer path to snaps in Philly.

Harold never lived up to his pass-rush hype in San Francisco, but he managed four sacks in a situational role with Detroit last year. This is a solid depth signing for Buffalo. Harold will mix in behind Jerry Hughes, Trent Murphy and Shaq Lawson.

Harold is looking questionable for Week 12 after not practicing Tuesday. Ahmad Brooks and Tank Carradine are the 49ers only healthy outside linebackers.

Harold had an uneven 2016, but showed enough this preseason for the 49ers to move on from Ahmad Brooks. He’ll open the year as the starter opposite rookie WLB Reuben Foster. With NaVorro Bowman unlikely to play in subpackages, Harold is a good bet to see an increase from last season’s 691 snaps.

Ahmad Brooks, who started on the strong side in San Francisco’s preseason opener, worked with the twos. “We gave Ahmad the first game and then Eli got this one,” said coach Kyle Shanahan, who confirmed that Harold and Brooks are both vying for the starting role. We’re guessing Brooks, who has seen the lion’s share of first-team reps at practice, will eventually win the starting job.

The No. 79 overall pick of the 2015 draft, Harold started 13 games last season, playing 691 snaps. He struggled to make an impact, generating three sacks.

A third-round pick this year, Harold could be asked to fill a big role on defense following the indictment of Ahmad Brooks on sexual battery charges. With Aldon Smith already cut following an off-the-field incident, Harold and sophomore Aaron Lynch are expected to start the third preseason game. 2013 third-round pick Corey Lemonier could also get snaps with the first-team defense.

The Bucs are using their second-round pick (No. 34 overall) as a bargaining chip. Tampa Bay’s pass rush is nonexistent and Virginia’s Eli Harold should still be available late in the first round. Missouri’s Shane Ray could be in the conversation too, depending on how teams view his recent marijuana arrest.

Harold (6'3/247) turned pro after three years at UVA, where he piled up 36.5 TFLs, 17.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. In 2014, he was voted second-team All-ACC by the conference’s coaches. Although tape watchers have criticized Harold’s pass-rush technique, he was an excellent college run defender and has big-time athleticism and length, suggesting he offers untapped potential off the edge. Harold has 33-inch arms and ran 4.60 in Indy, also ripping up the vertical (35") and broad (10'3") jumps. Harold is the kind of prospect who may struggle initially in the pros, but could grow into an annual double-digit sack threat.