Searching for an edge rusher in the wake of Bryce Huff's departure in free agency, the New York Jets acquired Haason Reddick in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Jets sent a conditional 2026 third-round pick to the Eagles that improves to a 2026 second-rounder if Reddick reaches 67.5% play time and 10 sacks, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Friday. In 2023, Reddick recorded 11 sacks and 38 tackles in 17 games. He played 74% of the defensive snaps.
Basically, the Jets and Eagles swapped edge rushers. Huff, who led the Jets with 10 sacks last season, signed a three-year, $51 million contract with the Eagles on Day 1 of free agency.
The Jets pursued Shaq Barrett and Jadeveon Clowney in free agency, but they signed with the Miami Dolphins and Carolina Panthers, respectively.
In Reddick, 29, the Jets are getting a proven commodity. He has 50.5 sacks over the past four seasons, the fourth-highest total in the NFL. Reddick and Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett are the only two players to record at least 10 sacks in each of the past four seasons.
Reddick, introduced by the Jets on Monday, said, "I'm happy to be around a group of guys like this, a talented roster such as this one. It's going to be fun man; I don't think anybody's ready for what's going to happen but it's going to be fun and it's going to be fun to watch as well."
The downside to the trade is the Jets are inheriting a big contract. Reddick is due to make $14.25 million in base pay in 2024, the final year of his contract. If they don't re-sign him, and he leaves as a free agent next year, the Jets would be in line for a compensatory draft pick in 2026. It's also possible that the Jets give him a new contract before the coming season.
Reddick is also due a $1 million roster bonus on April 1. The Eagles are expected to pay the bonus, a source said. It was originally due in March, but the Eagles and Reddick pushed it back to help facilitate a trade.
This is the latest in a series of win-now moves by the Jets, who are trying to capitalize on their Aaron Rodgers window. They acquired tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses, both 33, and also added wide receiver Mike Williams, 29, who is coming off ACL surgery.
The Jets are loaded at defensive end, with Reddick joining starters Jermaine Johnson and John Franklin-Myers and 2023 first-round pick Will McDonald. They also have backup Micheal Clemons.
"The fact that we have a bunch of young dogs, we're going to make it all easier for each other. The attack, the attack, the attack style, I'm all for it," Reddick said Monday. "I'm all about constantly putting QBs under duress. With the group that we have, the front that we have, we'll be able to do that really often."
Typically, the Jets like to rotate four, sometimes five defensive ends in a game. Reddick's arrival could impact McDonald, who is expected to have a larger role after a nondescript rookie year. It also could impact Franklin-Myers, who carries a $16.4 million cap charge. They could approach him about a pay cut.
"The more, the merrier," coach Robert Saleh said last week at the annual league meeting in Orlando, Florida.
The concern with Reddick is that he tailed off at the end of last season, finishing with five straight sackless games (including one in the playoffs). The Eagles changed defensive coordinators during the season, which appeared to affect Reddick's role and usage.
"All kinds of juice and gas off the edge. He's definitely a problem," Saleh said of Reddick before facing the Eagles last season. "... He's definitely found a new lease on life in that front. He's dynamic. He's versatile. They can do a lot of different things with him, but he's a three-way rusher. He can win inside. He can win outside. He can run right through you."