The New York Jets have granted Haason Reddick to seek a trade, and the veteran pass rusher should draw plenty of interest ahead of the November 5 NFL trade deadline.
Reddick, 30, has 58 career sacks, including reaching double-figures in each of the past four seasons, and while he’s highly unlikely to reach that mark in whatever amount of games he suits up for this season, there’s little doubt he can still make a significant impact on a contending defense.
Prior to last fall’s trade deadline, both Chase Young and Montez Sweat were traded, to the San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears, respectively, underscoring the value of the position and ease of dropping a difference-making playmaker into the lineup for the stretch run.
Given the nature of the position and some key injuries to contending teams, here’s a look at three teams that must make a significant effort to trade for Reddick.
Detroit Lions
The Lions losing All-Pro superstar pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson is a potentially crushing blow to one of the league’s most dominant defenses.
Compounding matters for Detroit, for as loaded as this roster is with quality depth, pass rush may be a weak link. Adding Reddick would provide a high-upside rental for the second half of this season, in Hutchinson’s absence, but also as a potential long-term bookend if general manager Brad Holmes can reach an agreement with agent Drew Rosenhaus on a long-term extension. Hutchinson and Reddick would immediately become one of the more formidable pass-rush duos in the league, which would throw coordinator Aaron Glenn’s playbook wide open.
Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta’s pass-rush is the worst in the league, producing just five sacks through the first six weeks of the season.
However, Atlanta’s offense is firing on all cylinders with quarterback Kirk Cousins, running back Drake London, and an explosive backfield duo powering the Falcons to a 4-2 start and perch atop the NFC South. If the Falcons are serious about competing, and building Raheem Morris’ defense into a unit capable of legitimately playing complementary football, acquiring Reddick would be an impactful first step.
Chicago Bears
No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams is ahead of schedule in his development as a franchise quarterback, yet Chicago’s defense still remains a weak link as general manager Ryan Poles expended significant resources this offseason to build out the offense for the rookie quarterback in waiting.
One year after acquiring Sweat, and signing him to a long-term extension, Poles has the opportunity to round out Chicago’s pass-rush duo for years to come by dropping Reddick along the opposite side of the front-seven. Acquiring Reddick would also deal a blow to the division-rival Lions, who desperately need pass-rush help to make up for Hutchinson’s lost production.
For More Football News:
Follow Matt Lombardo on Threads at @MattLombardoNFL. To read more of our articles and in-depth NFL coverage, click here.
