Newly acquired New York Jets edge rusher Haason Reddick is a no-show for the team’s mandatory minicamp, and is subject to fines for each day that he’s away from the facility.
During the Jets’ voluntary OTAs, head coach Robert Saleh revealed that he hadn’t spoken to Reddick and that the 29-year-old acquired in an offseason trade with the Philadelphia Eagles hadn’t taken part in New York’s offseason program, either.
Reddick is in search of a new contract that pays him more than the $15 million he’s slated to make in 2024 after the final three years of his deal were voided.
The fact that the Jets did not sign Reddick to an extension is one of the pitfalls for trading for a player on the back-end of his current contract, and also a stark contrast to how a franchise such as the Eagles have operated in recent years under general manager Howie Roseman.
In Philadelphia, the Eagles signed A.J. Brown to a new contract upon acquiring him in a draft-weekend deal back in 2022 — and ultimately briefly made him the highest-paid receiver in the sport this offseason while also keeping the young core that includes quarterback Jalen Hurts, wide receiver DeVonta Smith, tight end Dallas Goedert, and offensive guard Landon Dickerson in place on long-term contracts ahead of those players approaching the open market.
Now, the Jets find themselves entangled in what could prove to be contentious negotiations with Reddick, especially if he decides to hold out during training camp this summer.
Should New York Jets Prepare for Haason Reddick Holding Out in Training Camp?
By allowing Bryce Huff to walk via free agency and acquiring Reddick, the Jets were betting big that Reddick would be more disruptive and prolific off the edge in the next two seasons than Huff would have been.
However, by not signing Reddick to an extension upon trading for him, have created a bit of a distraction with a player primed to be one of the core contributors on a dominant defense.
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reports Reddick could be seeking upwards of $25 million per season on a new deal.
Meanwhile, Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report suggests the risk of Reddick holding out in training camp rises to a six out of ten.
“Reddick has skipped OTAs and declined to answer questions about when he’ll report to the Jets,” Moton points out. “With one non-guaranteed year left on his contract, the Temple product isn’t likely to step on the field without an extension. The Jets are probably on the hook for whatever he wants after letting Huff walk and giving up draft capital for him. Our panic meter rises to a six because New York could have handled this transition from Huff to Reddick more seamlessly.”
Time will tell if the two sides can strike a deal before the Jets kick off camp later this summer.
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