By Jeff Howe, Zack Rosenblatt and Cale Clinton
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and edge rusher Haason Reddick have agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth $14 million and $12 million guaranteed, according to a league source.
Reddick, who will turn 31 during the upcoming season, comes in as the No. 5 edge rusher and No. 25 player on The Athletic’s NFL free agency top 150. Drafted 13th in 2017 by the Arizona Cardinals, Reddick had a breakout year in the final season of his rookie deal, finishing the year with his first double-digit sack season.
Reddick continued that pass-rushing prowess on a one-year deal in Carolina, leading to a three-year, $45 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2022 offseason. He dominated in his tenure with the Eagles, finishing fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2022 and making back-to-back Pro Bowls. From 2020 to 2023, Reddick’s 50 1/2 sacks were fourth-most in the league behind only T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett and Trey Hendrickson.
In April 2024, the New York Jets acquired Reddick via trade from the Eagles amid a contract dispute between Reddick and the Eagles. Following his introductory news conference, Reddick never reported back to the team facility, refusing to show up without a new contract. He formally requested a trade during trading camp; after a series of setbacks — including Reddick’s representation dropping him and the Jets allowing him to seek a trade — Reddick and the Jets agreed to a reconstructed deal that allowed him to return to the team.
Reddick reported to the Jets out of shape and went on to have one of the least productive seasons of his career. His one sack and seven pressures were his fewest in a season since 2019, his three quarterback hits, 14 combined tackles and two tackles for loss all marked career lows. Still, Reddick’s one-year deal is a bet that the edge rusher can return to something resembling his four straight years of double-digit sack production.
Reddick’s chance to bounce back after rough year
Reddick’s lone season with the Jets couldn’t have gone much worse — and an argument could be made that he enacted the worst contract holdout the NFL has ever seen. He wanted $25 million last offseason when the Eagles let him pursue a trade, went to the Jets without a new deal, did his introductory news conference … and then proceeded to hold out for all of OTAs, mandatory minicamp, training camp and half the regular season.
When he returned to the field, he was out of football shape and mostly invisible — finishing with one sack and barely making an impact. Player holdouts like this rarely pan out after the fact, but the Buccaneers are clearly hoping Reddick can get back to being one of the NFL’s most productive pass rushers. History says it’s more likely he won’t much of an impact at all. — Zack Rosenblatt, Jets beat writer
Required reading
(Photo: Luke Hales / Getty Images)
