The Haason Reddick trade has been a disaster for the New York Jets, and reports indicate that the impending free agent will not return to the team in 2025. Reddick held out after a dominant 2023 with the Philadelphia Eagles while looking for a new contract with more long-term security. The Eagles decided he wasn’t worth the money, trading him to the New York Jets for a conditional third-round pick. The Jets were under the impression Reddick would play out the remainder of his deal, as they did not extend him.
That turned out not to be the case. Reddick stayed away from team facilities throughout the offseason and continued his holdout well into the regular season. While he eventually returned, Reddick never received the long-term deal he wanted. Now 3-8, the New York Jets are in the midst of another lost season while ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Haason Reddick will leave as a free agent. While his value has taken a dip over the past year, teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers could take a risk on him next year.
ESPN: Haason Reddick Will Leave the Jets As A Free Agent
General Manager Brett Veach is one of the best in the league at building a sustained winner. While having Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid certainly makes that job easier, this is still one of the most talented rosters in football. However, there is no such thing as a perfect roster, and this team could use another edge rusher. Defensive tackle Chris Jones is still an elite player, and former first-round pick George Karlaftis is a fine starter. However, with Charles Omenihu set to be a free agent, Kansas City could upgrade by going after Haason Reddick.
Omenihu is a reliable starter when healthy, but the former fifth-round pick lacks the same game-breaking ceiling as Reddick. While he’s only recorded half a sack in his four games with the Jets, he had double-digit sacks in four straight seasons before that. It stands to reason that he should return to his old form with a full offseason under his belt, so the Chiefs could buy low on the two-time Pro Bowler and fortify their defensive line.
Building A Defense
Even though the Carolina Panthers are 3-7, the team has to be happy with the early returns of the Dave Canales Era. The first-year head coach inherited a mess and didn’t stand a chance of building a contending team in just one season. So, he and first-year General Manager Dan Morgan prioritized the offense. While Bryce Young probably won’t start next year, they fixed the offensive line and found three reliable playmakers in first-round pick Xavier Legette, fourth-round pick Ja’Tavion Sanders, and undrafted free agent Jalen Coker. The next quarterback will have the required tools to succeed, so it’s time to turn to the defense.
After trading Brian Burns to the New York Giants, the Carolina Panthers had nobody capable of getting after the quarterback. The team tried to find a short-term fix with free agent Jadeveon Clowney, but the former first-overall pick has just one sack on the season. Seeing as the team will probably use their first-round pick on a quarterback, Carolina can’t bank on finding an immediate starter in the NFL Draft. Haason Reddick should be one of the top pass rushers on the free agent market, and his presence combined with a healthy Derrick Brown should give the Panthers defense something to build around.
Main Photo: Brad Penner – USA Today Sports
