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Future free agent Haason Reddick.
When Free Agency starts next Wednesday, Hason Reddick can sign anywhere - and you can bet there will be a lot of interest in him. The Arizona Cardinals seized the opportunity to score their former first-round pick earlier this week, allowing the 26-year-old to enter the open market after a career season that just ended in which he collected 12.5 sacks, the sixth most in the NFL.
The recent appointment of J.J. Watt and the desire to keep forgotten star Chandler Jones may make a reunion with Reddick difficult for the Cardinals. But that doesn’t mean the linebacker won’t be rewarded for his breakthrough campaign.
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Giants expected to sign LB Haason Reddick
Sheil Kapadia of The Athletic thinks Reddick’s hometown New York Football Giants will be waiting with a checkbook in hand to obtain his services after free agency ends on the 17th. March will be officially open.
The Giants ranked 32nd in ESPN’s pass rush metric last season and desperately need a pass rusher. New York really helped Reddick advance last season - he had five sacks in the Week 13 game against them. Reddick finished the year with 12.5 sacks, Kapadia said of the pass rusher, who is a top-50 free agent for The Athletic. Would that be enough to get him a big long-term contract? In his first three seasons, he only had 7.5 sacks. Reddick’s versatility fits well into defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s system, which is convenient for both sides.
The good news for Reddick is that while he could potentially go overseas, there’s a chance he won’t have to return Giants quarterback Daniel Jones.
Is Reddick a miracle of one year and one game?
While Marcus Golden’s return to East Rutherford was the focus of the Week 14 game between the Cardinals and Giants, it was Reddick who quickly stole the spotlight from Golden. The Camden, NJ native dominated the offensive efforts of Andrew Thomas, Matt Peart and Cameron Fleming en route to a franchise-record 5.0 sacks.
Although his performance was outstanding, it came after a five-game sackless streak for Reddick. It also greatly inflated his overall statistical output of the season. That said, Reddick was much more than a miracle in 2020.
After years of trying to use low-end linebackers as hybrid/offensive linebackers, injuries to Cardinals linebackers have left the team with no choice but to move Reddick to the edge. Reddick answered the call with his best season to date, with 12.5 sacks and a constant threat to opponents’ backs, with 33 tackles for loss and 32 hits against the quarterback.
Yes, Reddick struggled early in his career. And yes, 62.5% of his shutouts in his career came last season alone. Part of Reddick’s lack of growth in his career can be attributed to Arizona’s inability to use the point guard properly.
But his one-year peak numbers could make potential buyers hesitant to make a long-term deal with Reddick. Pro Football Focus expects Reddick to sign a one-year, $8 million contract this season, which will be helpful to a Giants team that is tight on cash.
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