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Mackenzie Salmon of Sports Seriously “overreacts” to the biggest headlines of Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season.
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For the New York Jets, Aaron Rodgers is finally healthy again and he hopes to develop into a serious contender in the AFC.
When they open their season against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night, however, they will be missing a key player they had planned to have in their program. Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Haason Reddick has not played a season since being traded from the Jets in March and has skipped all mandatory offseason workouts, including training camp.
New York, which let edge rusher Bryce Huff go in free agency, saw a blue-chip player in Reddick to bolster its pass rush – an area where the Jets excelled last season. New York ranked fifth in the NFL in sacks per pass attempt (9.2%), but the 29-year-old Reddick made both Pro Bowls in the past two seasons with the Eagles. Over the past four years, Reddick has amassed 50.5 sacks, including 16 in 2022, which put him second in the NFL.
Here’s everything you need to know about Haason Reddick’s strike against the New York Jets:
Why does Haason Reddick hold on?
His desire for a long-term contract is reportedly at issue, dating back to his final days in Philadelphia. In 2022, the Eagles signed Reddick to a three-year, $45 million deal that quickly proved to be a steal based on his performance on the field. In the first year of his contract, he was named second-team All-Pro after recording 16 sacks.
Reddick reportedly wanted Philadelphia to rework his contract, although the Eagles reportedly allowed Reddick to seek a trade in February. It was assumed that Reddick would still seek a long-term deal with any team that acquired him in a potential trade. Reddick is nearing the final year of his contract, which would have paid him a base salary of $14.25 million, according to Spotrac.com.
For comparison, the average annual value of his current contracts ranks him 19th among edge rushers, behind players like Alex Highsmith (Steelers; 29.5 sacks in the last four seasons), Bryce Huff (Eagles; 17.5), Harold Landry (Titans; 28; missed the entire 2022 season) and Jonathan Greenard (Vikings; 23).
After the Jets signed him, Reddick was at the team facility for a press conference on April 1 and expressed optimism about joining the team, but he has not returned to the Florham Park, New Jersey, facility since then.
“All options are open,” Reddick said at the time when asked if he would consider playing out the remainder of his one-year contract. “Right now, I’m just worried about being here and meeting whoever is in the building today. The contractual stuff, I’ll leave to my agent and (general manager) Joe (Douglas).
“But whatever happens, I’ll be happy. I’ll do my best no matter what. That’s the way I am as a person. No matter how it goes, how many years it takes, I’ll be here, no matter how long I’m here, and I’ll give the team and the fans everything I’ve got.”
In August, just four months after New York signed him, Reddick asked the Jets for a trade – a request the team refused to grant.
How much does Haason Reddick’s strike cost him?
According to The Athletic, Reddick will lose a check for $791,666 for each game he misses. And since he is not an active member of New York’s roster in Week 1, his contract is no longer guaranteed. According to ESPN, that amount is in addition to the over $5 million in penalties he has already accumulated for missing training camp. Since Reddick is not on a rookie contract, his penalties for missed days during training camp cannot be waived and are mandated by the NFL.
What did the Jets say about Haason Reddick’s absence?
The Jets largely continue to insist that they will support Reddick if he joins the team.
“I maintain that we will welcome him with open arms when he gets here,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said during a press conference on Saturday. “We will love him, he will be part of this football team and help us win a lot of games. He has to sort out the financial issues and that is none of my business.”
Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams added in July: “I try to stay out of all that, but I know he’s an incredible player and an incredible person. And I know this organization is incredibly good at getting these things done in a timely manner. He’s a phenomenal player and when he steps on the field, he changes the aura.”
What did the New York Jets give up in exchange for Haason Reddick?
In the March trade that sent Reddick to the Jets, New York gave up a 2026 third-round pick that could become a second-round pick if Reddick plays at least 67.5% this season and has 10 or more sacks.
