And off he goes.
On Friday, just three days before the new date of his signing bonus being due, the Eagles reportedly agreed to deal pass rusher Haason Reddick.
Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz reports that the All-Pro will be headed to the Jets.
BREAKING: The #Eagles are trading All-Pro pass rusher Haason Reddick to the #Jets, per sources.
Multiple teams inquired before Howie Roseman and Philly pulled the trigger, per sources. pic.twitter.com/pN1cxL0xz9
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 29, 2024
The end result is that the Eagles essentially swapped the next several years of Bryce Huff for one year of Reddick.
Haason Reddick’s PR team has been out in full force trying to make it seem like he really wanted to be in Philadelphia. When he sat down at the table to get a new deal, however, his camp spent several months reportedly not giving an inch and demanding $25 million per year – something that’s just unheard of for a player that will be 30 this coming season.
As it seems, being in Philadelphia came in second (at best) to Reddick and his team.
Reddick was a guy who got sacks in bunches last year and then disappeared toward the end of the year. Last season he managed 11 sacks, but over half (6.5) came in just three games. He managed just four and a half sacks across the Eagles other 14 games throughout the season.
He had just seven tackles during the Eagles final five games (including the playoffs) despite his playing over 70% of the snaps. Two of the tackles (and all four of his QB hits) had come against the lowly Giants. He was otherwise a non-factor as the Eagles faced an epic collapse.
The Eagles now set their defensive line to have youth on it rather than an older player who is looking to be overpaid.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the return for the Eagles is a Day Two pick in the 2026 draft.
Essentially, that guarantees them a pick in the draft that they would have received a compensatory pick for having lost Reddick in free agency. It is also sure to be sooner than that pick would have been and ensures they get the pick regardless of if they are active in free agency next offseason or not.
Trade: Eagles are sending edge-rusher Haason Reddick to the New York Jets for a conditional 2026 third-round pick that could be a second, sources tell ESPN.
The 2026 pick becomes a 2nd if Reddick has 67.5% playtime this season and has 10 or more sacks. If not, it’s a 2023 third pic.twitter.com/AcjiqZE2L4
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 29, 2024
The base compensation is a third-round pick that becomes a second rounder if the 30-year-old plays 67.5% of snaps or reaches 10 or more sacks.
In reality, the Jets believe he can reach those numbers considering they are apparently going to offer him a contract that would make him a top-five paid player at the position and the oldest one in that group other than perennial DPOTY finalist TJ Watt.
It’s certainly not the value that fans would have hoped for, but that this is the best the team could get shows just how ridiculous the deal Reddick’s team is demanding is and how Reddick’s value is seen around the league.
Update: Zach Rosenblatt (formerly covered the Eagles, now covers the Jets) reports that Reddick will carry a $14.5M cap hit for the jets in 2024.
Haason Reddick will carry a $14.5M cap hit in 2024 until/unless the #Jets sign him to a new contract. https://t.co/zEX5eTKkGV
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) March 29, 2024
If that $14.5 million is dropping off of hist expected nearly $22 million cap hit the Eagles were expecting to have, it means they’ll save $14.5M in salary (incurring the $21.5 million in dead cap) and will no longer be responsible for the additional $14.5 million cap hit that they would have been due for in 2025. Reports indicate they will be able to lush some of that dead money forward to make it less of a concern.
Eagles Offseason Recap:
