Despite being traded to the New York Jets earlier this offseason, Haason Reddick requested a trade while holding out of all team activities. Reddick is seeking a new contract extension, while the Jets do not plan to honor his trade request. There are a few teams that pose as good fits for the edge rusher should the Jets choose to trade him.
Earlier this offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets agreed to terms on a trade for edge rusher Hasson Reddick . In exchange for the All-Pro outside linebacker, the Eagles received a conditional 2026 third-round pick that could become a second rounder based on playing time and production. However, Reddick has yet to report to camp with the Jets, as he's been holding out while awaiting a new contract .
It appears that the team isn't budging on their unwillingness to offer Reddick a new deal. As such, the 29-year-old requested a trade out of New York earlier this week . General Manager Joe Douglas rebuked Reddick's request, saying the team will not deal the two-time Pro Bowler under any circumstance this season.
Reddick has already been fined more than $1,000,000 for missing practices, training camp and preseason action, and he'll continue to accrue penalties as long as he sits out. It's worth noting that, unlike when a franchise tagged player holds out, Reddick cannot wait out the Jets on this matter. His current contract only has one year left, though that year will only expire if he actually reports to the team.
Assuming this relationship is already too far gone to be saved, the Jets would be wise to work the phones on a potential trade, even if they publicly say otherwise. If Reddick is dealt, which teams would be the best fit for the edge rusher? The Jets have never been known as one of the more well-run teams in the NFL, and this latest development proves that's still true. Arizona Cardinals It's worth pointing out that any team that trades for Reddick needs to have a chunk of cap space available, lest they want to run into the same issues with Reddick that the Jets have.
The Arizona Cardinals are loaded with available money starting next year, with $90.7 million free in cap space in 2025, which ranks third league-wide. Even if they hand Reddick a market-setting contract in line with the deal Brian Burns signed with the New York Giants after being traded in March, the Cardinals would have plenty of money to work with to continue filling out the roster.
The most obvious reason that Arizona would make this move, though, is Reddick's familiarity with head coach Jonathon Gannon. The two worked together in Philadelphia in 2022, which just so happened to be the best year of Reddick's career: 16 sacks, 26 QB hits, 41 pressures, a league-leading five forced fumbles, and a fourth-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting. That Eagles team went to the Super Bowl and finished as the second-best defense in the league, allowing just 301.
5 yards per game. Their roster was loaded, with Reddick flanked by Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat and Javon Hargrave. Now, Gannon is coaching a talent-bereft defense in Arizona, which didn't get any better after the team elected to draft Marvin Harrison Jr.
with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Cardinals' Starting Pass-Rush Player Position Career Sacks Zaven Collins DT 5.5 Bilal Nichols DT 14 Justin Jones DE 12 Dante Stills DE 3.
5 Mack Wilson Sr. ILB 6 Reddick would instantly become the best pass rusher on the Cardinals, and he'd help Gannon install his defensive system more authoritatively after the team finished 25th in yards allowed last season. The big issue with Arizona, unlike the other two teams on this list, is that they're definitively rebuilding this year.
Reddick is nearing his 30th birthday and may not have many more prime seasons left, and a rebuilding squad normally isn't one to trade future assets for a guy demanding a huge contract. However, Reddick was a first-round pick for Arizona back in 2017, and he first discovered his Pro Bowl form with the team in 2020. With a ton of familiarity in the desert, Reddick could jumpstart Gannon's defense and secure himself a hefty payday in the process.
Atlanta Falcons After firing Arthur Smith following a trio of 7–9 seasons, the Atlanta Falcons pivoted to Raheem Morris as the new head coach of the franchise. Morris served as the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams for three seasons from 2021-2023. Prior to that stint, he had spent six years on the Falcons' staff from 2015-2020, working in both offensive and defensive roles.
The 47-year-old had previously worked as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009-2011, finishing with a record of 21-38. Morris notably filled in as Atlanta's interim head coach when Dan Quinn was fired early on in the 2020 season, and despite going 4-7, he was a popular name in the locker room. Most people expected the team to select the first defensive player of the night during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft given Morris' defensive coaching background, but the Falcons had other plans, shocking the NFL world by drafting Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr .
That has left the team's pass-rushing core rather thin, with only Grady Jarrett possessing any history of true dominance along the defensive line. Falcons' Starting Pass-Rush Player Position Career Sacks Grady Jarrett DT 34 David Onyemata DT 27 Matthew Judon EDGE 66.5 Lorenzo Carter EDGE 21.
5 Kaden Elliss ILB 12 Reddick would instantly make Atlanta better on defense. Since 2020, he ranks fourth in sacks (50.5), seventh in tackles for loss (51), first in forced fumbles (13), and seventh in quarterback pressures (143).
In his time with the Rams, Morris' defenses never allowed more than 22.6 points per game (in fact, they were remarkably consistent, allowing between 21.9 points and 22.
6 points per game in all three seasons). Morris ran a base 3-4 scheme out of Los Angeles over the past three years, which is a far cry from the 4-3 base defense the Falcons have tended to run. That being said, Morris always demanded versatility out of his outside linebacking crew, with players like Leonard Floyd and Terrell Lewis dropping into coverage as much as any pass-rushers in the league.
GIVEMESPORT Key Stat: Reddick has played in a variety of schemes throughout his career. Over the last four seasons, Reddick has played for the Eagles, Cardinals, and Carolina Panthers . In each of those campaigns, Reddick paced his team in sacks, totaling 50.
5 since 2020. The Falcons have more than $25 million in cap space available in 2025, and they have an easy path to opening up tens of millions more with a few salary-cutting maneuvers. They could hand Reddick a market-level extension without issue, and in turn, he could add some ferocity and credibility to their pass-rushing corps.
Of course, the team's addition of Matthew Judon does complicate matters a bit, as he'll certainly grab a starting role in Morris' front seven. Lorenzo Carter and Zach Harrison (three career sacks) could form a solid tandem on the edge opposite Judon, though adding Reddick too would give the Falcons arguably the best pass-rush duo in the league. From 2021 through 2023, the two outside linebackers have combined for 70 sacks, which would be the most of any pair of teammates in the NFL.
Miami Dolphins Of all the teams on this list, the Miami Dolphins have, by far, the most established pass rushing group. Dolphins' Starting Pass-Rush Player Position Career Sacks Benito Jones DT 2.5 Zach Sieler DE 20 Calais Campbell DE 105.
5 Jaelan Phillips OLB 22 Bradley Chubb OLB 39.5 While that's an impressive list of names, the big-three of Campbell, Phillips, and Chubb all come with their own caveats. Campbell is one of the oldest players in the league at 37, and he hasn't had a season with more than 6.
5 sacks since 2018. That being said, he's still a menace on the inside and should make life easier for the edge rushers in defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver's system. As for Phillips, the dynamic pass rusher was on his way to a career season in 2023 before tearing his Achilles in late November.
Even though he may not be ready for the start of the 2024 season, he has progressed towards participating in contact practices, suggesting he may not be as far off as once feared. Chubb led the league in forced fumbles last season with six, despite suffering a torn ACL in Week 17. He's on the mend as well, though this is the second ACL tear of his career.
Reddick would provide tremendous insurance against injuries or decline in any of their play, though he's more of a luxury than a necessity. Shaq Barrett did retire at the start of camp, though he was always going to play a reserve role for this team. Of course, even if they wanted to grab him, the Dolphins are facing a couple of logistical hurdles when it comes to trading for Reddick.
First off, the Jets play in the same division as them, and both are jockeying for the AFC East crown this season. It's unlikely they'll willingly fork over a Pro Bowl pass rusher in his prime to a division rival. Second, the Dolphins are out of cap space.
Like, literally out of cap space. After extending quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receiver Tyreek Hill , the Dolphins currently project to have $-63.1 million available cap space in 2025.
I probably don't need to tell you this, but they can't exactly pay Reddick with negative dollars at their disposal. So, this is more of a pipe dream for a Super Bowl contender than a realistic addition for a middle of the road squad. You can expect Miami to call the phones in the Jets' front office, but don't be surprised if Joe Douglas doesn't bother to pick up.
All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless otherwise stated. All salary cap info via Spotrac . The New York Jets traded for Haason Reddick in April, but the Pro Bowl edge rusher was expecting a pay bump after the deal that never happened.
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