New Jets edge-rusher Haason Reddick is ready for what he calls an “exciting” chapter in his life with his new team. The Jets officially announced the acquisition of Reddick earlier this week from the Philadelphia Eagles, about two weeks after the Eagles signed Bryce Huff at the start of free agency.
Still just 29 years old, Reddick, a native of Camden, New Jersey, says he has a lot left in the tank.
“Me personally, I feel like I have a lot left in the tank,” Reddick told reporters this week, via the Jets’ official website. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here, and that’s pretty much that. I feel like when I don’t have any more to give, I’ll retire. Until that point, I’m going to continue to try to play my best ball. As far as the Eagles go though, it wasn’t about what he has left in the tank or anything like that, it’s a business, and sometimes hard decisions have to be made, even if you don’t like them. I am excited about what is next.”
After the Eagles signed Huff, questions regarding Reddick’s future in Philadelphia started popping up. The Eagles also restructured the contract of Josh Sweat, guaranteeing him $10 million this season after his previous contract did not have any guaranteed money for this season.
That only further questioned Reddick’s future. The Jets swooped in and helped answer that question by flipping a conditional third-round pick in 2026 (yes, two years from now) to the Eagles in exchange for Reddick. The pick becomes a second-round pick if Reddick plays at least 67.5% of the snaps and has at least ten sacks this season. Reddick is on a streak of four straight seasons with 10+ sacks, including 11 in 2023.
Reddick bolsters the pass-rush rotation that also returns Jermaine Johnson (7.5 sacks in 2023), Solomon Thomas (5), John Franklin-Myers (3.5) and Will McDonald (3). That rotation is also something Reddick is looking forward to this season in New York.
“I love it and the fact that we have a bunch of young dawgs that we are going to make it all easier for each other,” Reddick said. “The attack, the attack, the attack style, I am all for it. I am all about constantly putting QB’s under duress. With the group that we have, the front that we have, we should be able to do that really often.”
Only two defensive linemen — Johnson and Quinnen Williams — played more than 60% of the defensive snaps in 2023, a testament to the way defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich utilizes his players up front. How Reddick gets utilized will be interesting to watch. But as he said, he has a lot left in the tank. The Jets really need that motor this season.
