By Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini and Brooks Kubena
The Philadelphia Eagles are buying and selling move rusher Haason Reddick to the New York Jets, league sources confirmed. The Jets are sending the Eagles a conditional 2026 third-round decide that may change into a second in trade for Reddick.
ESPN was the primary to report the information.
Reddick has spent the previous two seasons with the Eagles as one among their greatest defensive gamers. He was a Professional Bowler in each years and a second-team All-Professional in 2022, as he helped Philadelphia to a Tremendous Bowl look.
The 29-year-old has recorded double-digit sacks in his previous 4 seasons, together with 11 in 2023.
“Every kind of juice and fuel off the sting,” mentioned Jets coach Robert Saleh on Reddick earlier than the Eagles-Jets recreation in the course of the 2023 season. “He’s positively an issue.”
Reddick signed a three-year, $45 million take care of the Eagles, his hometown workforce, in 2022. The 2024 season would be the remaining 12 months of that contract.
The Eagles completed this previous season 11-6, however 5 of these losses got here of their remaining six regular-season video games. Philadelphia’s protection specifically struggled, rating twenty sixth in whole yards allowed.
Why this transfer was shocking
This one comes as a significant shock — particularly for the reason that Jets had a 25-year-old Bryce Huff within the constructing and let him stroll in free company … to signal with the Eagles. Reddick is a way more confirmed commodity than Huff, after all, and has been one of the productive move rushers within the NFL during the last 4 years, getting 50 1/2 mixed with 83 quarterback hits.
The Jets clearly view him as a extra full move rusher than Huff at this stage — in any other case, they wouldn’t have invested a lot in draft capital (a conditional 2026 third-round decide that may change into a second) and cash (a $14.5 million cap hit in 2024 on the final 12 months of his deal) to search out Huff’s substitute. However as soon as the Jets misplaced Huff, it turned clear that discovering a veteran edge rusher so as to add to their rotation was a precedence.
They pursued Jadeveon Clowney earlier than he signed a two-year take care of the Panthers, even internet hosting him for a go to. They tried signing Shaquil Barrett earlier than he landed with the Dolphins, too. Finally, they settled on buying and selling for the disgruntled Reddick, who has been in search of a brand new contract after his efficiency the previous few years. — Zack Rosenblatt, Jets beat author
How this impacts the Jets protection
The Jets solely had $9.6 million in cap house earlier than this commerce, per Over the Cap, in order that they’ll seemingly should restructure some contracts to clear more room to each match Reddick into their cap sheet and to have sufficient room to function the remainder of the offseason.
The Jets defensive finish room impulsively seems loaded once more, although it does beg the query of how a lot the group believes within the capacity of 2023 first-round decide Will McDonald, who was anticipated to tackle a much bigger function in 2024 as soon as Huff left in free company. As a substitute, McDonald will fall fourth within the pecking order behind starters Jermaine Johnson (a Professional Bowler), John Franklin-Myers and now Reddick. This transfer additionally will permit the Jets to deal with positions of larger want within the NFL Draft, like at huge receiver and on the offensive line. — Rosenblatt
The Eagles protection will get youthful
That is an anticipated consequence for the Eagles and Reddick, though the commerce features a shocking vacation spot. Normal supervisor Howie Roseman accomplished the deal throughout the deadline he created by shifting Reddick’s $1 million roster bonus from March 15 to April 1. After declining to supply any feedback on Reddick in the course of the NFL’s league conferences earlier this week, the endurance Roseman projected in dealing with Reddick paid off slightly shortly.
The Eagles have now successfully gotten youthful at edge rusher whereas additionally gaining further draft capital for the long run. Roseman signed Bryce Huff to a three-year, $51.1 million deal to present the franchise extra choices, and now the Eagles are banking that the 25-year-old move rusher will give them larger upside than Reddick who wished a brand new deal coming into the ultimate 12 months of his contract. — Brooks Kubena, Eagles beat author
What Huff brings to the Eagles
The pathway is now clear for Huff, who held a pass-rush specialist function with the Jets, to extend his snap share with the Eagles. He recorded 10 sacks and 10 tackles for loss whereas enjoying simply 42 p.c of the protection’s general snaps in 2023. The Eagles would’ve had a possible logjam if Reddick had remained on the roster. Now, Huff suits effectively inside a bunch that features Josh Sweat and 2023 first-round decide Nolan Smith.
This transfer features a gamble. Reddick was a confirmed pass-rusher, a two-time Professional Bowler who amassed 27 sacks in two seasons. He was their greatest defensive participant in that span, and there’ll be an expectation for Huff to on the very least preserve Reddick’s productiveness.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni mentioned at league conferences that the teaching employees, together with newly employed defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, is aware of “how good of a move rusher (Huff) is.” Jets coach Robert Saleh informed The Athletic that “the sky’s the restrict for that dude.”
“As a move rusher, he’s elite and he’s been trending in the suitable route constantly,” Saleh mentioned. “He’s engaged on his capacity to cease the run, and I believe he’ll.” — Kubena
Required studying
(Picture: Harry How / Getty Pictures)