If you were a member of the 2021 Carolina Panthers, you probably got overlooked. The truth is, not many folks care too much about a smaller-market team that went 5-12 while ripping off seven straight losses to close out their season.
One of the victims of this unfortunate effect was the stellar campaign from outside linebacker Haason Reddick, who tied for the ninth-highest sack total (11.0) of the year. But this isn’t even new for former first-round selection, as his 12.5 sacks as a member of the Arizona Cardinals in 2020 also went without much acclaim.
Well, it’s time to give Reddick his due—and Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar and Mark Schofield do exactly that in their fresh free agent rankings. The 27-year-old, who’s been wrecking the pocket for two years now, sits at No. 16 overall as the market is almost set to open.
“The Arizona Cardinals selected Reddick with the 13th overall pick in the 2017 draft out of Temple, and waited three seasons for him to become the pass-rusher they thought he could be — while misplacing him as an off-ball linebacker far too often,” Farrar writes. “Then, they declined his fifth-year option before the 202 season, and Reddick responded with a career year in which he was deployed far more from the edge, and wound up with 12.5 sacks, eight quarterback hits, 35 quarterback hurries, and 34 stops.
“Then, the Cardinals decided not to give Reddick the franchise tag for the 2021 season. Reddick responded by becoming one of the NFL’s best bargains, putting up 11 sacks, seven quarterback hits, 22 quarterback hurries, and 35 stops with the Panthers on a one-year, $6 million contract that could bump up to $8 million with incentives. Reddick also beclowned his old team in Week 10 with nasty stuff like these moves against Cardinals left tackle D.J. Humphries, resulting in a sack/fumble combination.”
The Cardinals tried to make Haason Reddick an off-ball linebacker for three seasons. Nope. Then, they declined his fifth-year option and watched him have a career year on the edge. Then, they deemed him expendable before the 2021 season.
This was his Week 10 retort. pic.twitter.com/uZZwDgWnr0
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) February 23, 2022
Farrar continues by calling Reddick “one of the better speed-rushers in the league” that teams should be jumping on. And, uh, it seems like the man himself agrees . . .
It’ll stop soon! https://t.co/i0qsuQGaRj
— Haason Reddick #43 (@Haason7Reddick) February 23, 2022
And I’m just getting started. Compare my 2 years being full time on the edge to guys who have been on the edge for 4+ years. I’m not even in my prime yet! https://t.co/2IH8DvUONi
— Haason Reddick #43 (@Haason7Reddick) February 23, 2022
For the ones who keep saying I can’t stop the run! Imagine when I come in @ 250 lbs this year . My God, it’s gonna be a scary sight! https://t.co/tLHhETO1se
— Haason Reddick #43 (@Haason7Reddick) February 23, 2022
