Looking for an edge rusher following the departure of Bryce Huff in free agency, the New York Jets acquired Haason Reddick in a trade Friday with the Philadelphia Eagles, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The Jets will send a conditional 2026 third-round pick to the Eagles that upgrades to a 2026 second-round pick if Reddick reaches 67.5% playing time and 10 sacks, sources said. In 2023, Reddick recorded 11 sacks and 38 tackles in 17 games. He played 74% of the defensive snaps.
Basically, the Jets and Eagles traded lead backs. Huff, who led the Jets with 10 sacks last season, signed a three-year, $51 million contract with the Eagles on the first day of free agency.
The Jets pursued Shaq Barrett and Jadeveon Clowney in free agency, but they signed with the Miami Dolphins and Carolina Panthers, respectively.
In Reddick, 29, the Jets are acquiring a proven product. He has 50.5 sacks over the past four seasons, the fourth-highest total in the NFL. Reddick and Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett are the only two players to record at least 10 sacks in each of the last four seasons.
The downside to the trade is that the Jets are inheriting a big contract. Reddick is expected to earn $14.25 million in base salary in 2024, the final year of his contract. If he is not re-signed and he leaves as a free agent next year, the Jets would be in line for a compensatory pick in the 2026 draft. It is also possible that the Jets give him a new contract before next season.
Reddick is also owed a $1 million roster bonus on April 1. The Eagles are expected to pay the bonus, a source said. It was originally scheduled for March, but the Eagles and Reddick delayed it to help facilitate the trade.
This is the latest in a series of win-now moves by the Jets, who are trying to capitalize on their Aaron Rodgers window. They acquired tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses, both 33, and also added wide receiver Mike Williams, 29, who is coming off ACL surgery.
The Jets are loaded at defensive end, with Reddick joining starters Jermaine Johnson and John Franklin-Myers and 2023 first-round pick Will McDonald. They are also backed by Micheal Clemons.
“The more the merrier,” coach Robert Saleh said this week at the league's annual meeting in Orlando, Florida.
Typically, the Jets like to rotate four, sometimes five defensive ends in a game. Reddick's arrival could impact McDonald, who is expected to have a larger role after a nondescript rookie year. It could also affect Franklin-Myers, who has a $16.4 million cap charge. They could approach him to ask for a pay cut.
The concern with Reddick is that he faded at the end of last season, finishing with five straight games without a sack (including one in the playoffs). The Eagles changed defensive coordinators during the season, which appeared to affect Reddick's role and usage.
“All kinds of energy and gas out of bounds. It's definitely a problem,” Saleh said of Reddick before facing the Eagles last season. “…He's definitely found a new lease of life on that front. He's dynamic. He's versatile. They can do a lot of different things with him, but he's a three-way back. He can win on the inside. He can win on the outside. He can pass through you.”