Aaron Rodgers is 40 years old, and coming off a season where he played three downs before rupturing his left Achilles tendon on the fourth. The Jets finished 7-10, three full games out of the final Wild Card spot in the AFC.
New York traded a conditional third-round pick in 2026 to the Atlanta Falcons back on March 29, in return for former Pro Bowl defensive end Haason Reddick. After signing a three-year, $45 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles after the 2022 season, Reddick has yet to report to Jets’ training camp, and new rumors have begun to swirl that he could be moved before the start of the regular season.
With Reddick, 29, yet to report to training camp, he is only costing the Jets $750,000 in salary cap room, which is fortunate since his base salary commands $14.25 million. The Jets only have $17.8 million in space, which is even more stunning that we are talking about the team having any versatility at all for the first time in a very long time. The Jets may be able to take advantage of an AFC East Division that was turned on its ear during the 2023 offseason. The Buffalo Bills lost their star linebacker to injury, and their top wide receiver to a trade. The Miami Dolphins signed their starting quarterback to the richest contract in franchise history, who has yet to win a playoff game in the NFL.
The Patriots saw the greatest coach in the history of the game step aside, and drafted a quarterback with the third overall pick for the second time in four years.
Reddick has 58 career sacks and 16 forced fumbles since being drafted 13th overall by the Arizona Cardinals in 2013. After his rookie contract expired, Reddick signed a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers, before ultimately landing with the Eagles. If Reddick achieves 67.5 percent of defensive snaps, and 10-or-more sacks, that third round pick becomes a second round pick for the Eagles.
The Jets get a much-improved pass rusher in a division loaded with athletic quarterbacks. Coming off back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons with Philadelphia, Reddick was also a second-team All Pro during the Super Bowl run in 2022.
Then came the reports on August 12 that Reddick requested a trade out of New York, as sides appear to be very far apart in getting a long term contract extension done before the start of the regular season next week. The remaining three years on Reddick’s contract were voided, as the trade occurred prior to the extension taking effect, according to Spotrac.com. A representative for Reddick indicated he would play under the remainder of his current contract, leading to reports that the Jets have not offered a new contract out of assumption. His holdout has cost $50,000 in fines levied by the Jets per day, including a forfeited $250,000 bonus for skipping voluntary workouts. The Jets have publicly stated that Reddick will not be traded, and continue to be fined until he reports. General Manager Joe Douglas has every right to make Reddick’s wallet lighter, under the terms of the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, and has apparently no problem forcing Reddick’s hand. For the money the team is saving by him not reporting, the Jets need not worry about caving to Reddick’s threats.
Reddick had 11 sacks with the Eagles in 2023, which trailed only the New York Giants Kavyon Thibodeaux (11.5) and Dallas’ Micah Parsons (14) in the NFC East. The 11 sacks would have been enough for a tie with Miami’s Bradley Chubb for most in the AFC East.
Speaking of Chubb, 2024 would be the perfect year for Reddick to play out the contract and get a massive payout by the Jets by their bye week. Chubb tore his ACL during the final week of the regular season in 2023, and will start 2024 on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Many believe Chubb will miss the first four games of the regular season, as the Dolphins may keep him on the PUP list, rather than shorten their depth by the time final cuts are made.
Chubb is not the only defensive star in the division to suffer a long term injury. Buffalo Bills’ star linebacker Matt Milano tore his bicep in practice last week, and will be out until likely December. This adds to Milano missing the final 12 games of the regular season, and all of the playoffs, after fracturing his leg in Week 5.
Matthew Judon was traded by the Patriots to the Atlanta Falcons earlier this week, putting Reddick as the premier pass rusher in the division, even if by default.
There are talks developing within the past few days that the Chicago Bears are heavily interested in acquiring Reddick, and would sign him to a $45 million extension similar to the original deal Philadelphia penned before the trade that started this whole saga. The Bears have $20.39 million in cap space, making the numbers more than work, and having the draft capital that the Jets would benefit from.
After all, New York will have to replace Aaron Rodgers in very short notice. Another injury could make a difference between getting a potential franchise quarterback at the top of the draft within the next 2-3 years (tops), or a mid-round pick that could be collateral for enticing a significant free agent to step in.
-JC24
After all, New York will have to replace Aaron Rodgers in very short notice. Another injury could make a difference between getting a potential franchise quarterback at the top of the draft within the next 2-3 years (tops), or a mid-round pick that could be collateral for enticing a significant free agent to step in.
-JC24