Sometimes NFL stories line up in such a way that it really feels like they came from a script. Just consider the events that brought defensive end Haason Reddick to the New York Jets in a surprising trade Friday night.
This story actually started last year, when the Jets re-signed defensive end Bryce Huff in a restricted free agent tender and then drafted a defensive end (Will McDonald) in the first round for the second year in a row. Huff thought at the time he would be traded. But the Jets kept him and he had an exceptional season (10 sacks in 2023)…and yet the Jets still didn’t want to pay Huff what he was looking for before free agency. So it entered the open market last month.
What does this have to do with Reddick? Well, Reddick, after a dominant four-year stretch tied with the NFL’s best passers, felt like he got a raise this offseason after a stellar two-year run with the Philadelphia Eagles. He finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting after a 16-sack season in 2022 and followed that up with 11 sacks and 23 QB hits last season. But the Eagles were unwilling to give him the raise he sought — reports suggested Reddick wanted $25 million per year — and instead allowed Reddick to seek a trade.
On March 11, shortly after the free agent negotiating window opened, the Eagles and Huff agreed to a three-year, $51 million deal, reportedly signing Reddick’s replacement while he was still on the list – and for more money than the deal he signed. signed as a free agent in 2022, no less.
Then, to come full circle: the Jets traded for Reddick…to replace Huff, sending a conditional 2026 third-round pick to the Eagles.
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But the story has even more twists: Huff, 25, talked about viewing Reddick, 29, as the kind of passer he wanted to become. He has even copied the kind of cleats Reddick wears. Now Huff replaces Reddick – and Reddick replaces Huff.
“The last few days have been crazy,” Reddick said Monday. “But the news itself, I was happy to hear. It’s a new beginning, a new chapter for me.
Reddick still hasn’t gotten the new contract he wants and it’s unclear if the Jets are still in a rush to sign him. For now, Reddick is a mercenary, a proven and elite pass rusher who adds to one of the best defenses in the NFL. Consider that Reddick had almost the same number of sacks two years ago (16) as Huff had in his entire four-year career (17 1/2).
“All options are open,” Reddick said of his contract. “Right now I’m just worried about being here and meeting everyone. … But no matter what, I’m going to be happy, I’m going to give it my all no matter what because that’s just who I am as a person. No matter how it goes, how many years, I’m going to be here as long as I’m here and I’m going to give the team, the fans, everything I have.
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Reddick, a first-round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2017, wasn’t particularly interested in explaining why things didn’t work out in Philadelphia. Joining the Eagles in 2022 was a homecoming for Reddick, who grew up in South Jersey and played collegiately in Philadelphia at Temple University.
“As far as the Eagles were concerned, it wasn’t about ‘what’s left in the tank’ or anything like that,” Reddick said. “It’s a business and sometimes tough decisions have to be made even if you don’t like them.”
The Jets had targeted Reddick all offseason once he became available — “I knew the Jets were one of the teams willing to trade for me for a little while,” he said — but explored other defensive options before completing the trade. They almost signed Shaquil Barrett before the Dolphins stepped in. They hosted Jadeveon Clowney for a visit before the Panthers got him a two-year deal. Douglas chose the best passer available, one who combined for 50 1/2 sacks, 86 quarterback hits, 51 tackles for loss and 235 total pressures over the past four seasons.
Before the Eagles-Jets game last season, Jets coach Robert Saleh had high praise for Reddick.
“All kinds of over-the-counter juices and gases,” Saleh said. “It’s definitely a problem. … He is dynamic. It is versatile. They can do a lot of different things with him, but he’s a three-down runner. He can win inside. He can win away. He can pass through you. So it’s always going to be a problem.
The Jets ranked seventh in sacks last season, so it’s not like they’re short on pass rushers. They lost Huff, but they still have Jermaine Johnson, who voted for the Pro Bowl in his second season, and a solid, versatile veteran in John Franklin-Myers. The addition of Reddick also allows the Jets to take their time giving McDonald a bigger role, especially after he barely played as a rookie. His role will increase, although he still won’t be a full-time player. Now he can become a Huff-style passing specialist while Reddick and Johnson probably get most of the passing snaps on the defensive end.
As part of the terms of the trade, if Reddick plays 67.5% of snaps this season and has 10 or more sacks, the third-round pick becomes a second-round pick in 2026. If Reddick does not meet both conditions . , the choice remains in the third round. For now, Reddick will have a cap hit of $15 million in 2024.
The addition of Reddick — along with incentive-laden one-year contracts for offensive tackle Tyron Smith and wide receiver Mike Williams — crystallizes general manager Joe Douglas’ win-now attitude in free agency. It’s hard to blame him, especially with owner Woody Johnson’s win-now tenure putting Douglas and Saleh firmly in the hot seat — and with 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers at quarterback.
This is a team built to win now – or else – and Reddick sees the potential in his new team.
“You have dogs at every level of the defense, literally,” Reddick said. “I’m happy to be with a group of guys like this, a talented team like this. It’s gonna be fun. I don’t think anyone is ready for what’s going to happen.”
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(Photo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)