Jets pass rusher Haason Reddick has requested trade from team: source

The Haason Reddick saga continues to take an ugly turn for the Jets.

On Monday, Reddick informed the Jets that he wants to be traded, according to multiple sources.

“We have informed Haason that we will not trade him, that he is expected to be here with his teammates, and that he will continue to be fined per the CBA [Collective Bargaining Agreement] if he does not report,” Jets general manager Joe Douglas said in a statement. “Since the trade discussions back in March, we have been clear, direct, and consistent with our position.

“Our focus will remain on the guys we have here as we prepare for the regular season.”

In March, the Jets acquired Reddick in a trade with the Eagles for a conditional 2026 third-round pick that could be a second if Reddick plays at least 67.5% of the upcoming season. Reddick is in the final year of a three-year, $45 million contract he signed with the Eagles in 2022.

After the trade, Reddick said it was a “new beginning” for him and was just worried about getting to know his new coaching staff and his teammates.

“Contractual stuff, I’m leaving to my agent and [Jets general manager] Joe [Douglas] to figure out,” Reddick said. “Whatever happens, I’m going to be happy and I’m going to give it my all and that’s who I am as a person.

“No matter how it goes, how many years, I’m going to be here however long I’m here for and I’m going to give the team, the fans, everything that I have.”

Things have taken a turn for the worse since Reddick’s introductory press conference.

Reddick missed both OTAs [organized team activities] and mandatory minicamp in the spring. He was fined over $50,000 for missing mandatory minicamp in June and missed out on receiving a $250,000 workout bonus he was scheduled to receive after missing the Jets spring offseason program.

Reddick’s fines continue to increase since he didn’t report for Jets training camp on July 23. He is being fined $50,000 every day he misses and is subject to a 15% forfeiture of his prorated bonus, according to the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement. That forfeiture increases by 1% each day Reddick is absent for training camp up to 25%.

Because he has missed three weeks of training camp and forfeited his bonuses, Reddick has been fined more than $1.05 million. Something else to keep in mind is that for every preseason Reddick misses, he is fined an entire week’s salary, which is around $800,000.

“I still have nothing,” Saleh said when asked about Reddick’s status last week.

Both the Jets and Reddick have mismanaged this situation. The Jets offered Reddick a contract extension, according to sources, which would have been a raise from the $14.25 million he is scheduled to receive in 2024. But the 29-year-old declined the offer. However, the Jets decided to trade for the 29-year-old anyway after losing sack leader Bryce Huff to the Eagles.

Before he was traded to the Jets, Reddick sought a new contract with the Eagles. After Philadelphia signed Huff in March, Reddick then requested a trade from the team. The Jets will not negotiate a new contract with any player unless they show up to training camp, according to sources.

At this point, the Jets would’ve been better off keeping Huff, who was an undrafted free agent in which the team developed. In 2023, Huff led all Jets players with 10 sacks.

Reddick is also to blame for this situation because instead of holding out, he could have just reported for camp on time and had a hold in much like Tua Tagovailoa did when he was seeking a new contract from the Dolphins. Eventually, Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension with Miami on July 26.

The Jets certainly could use Reddick’s production after losing Huff, Quinton Jefferson, and John Franklin-Myers during the offseason. Jefferson signed a one-year deal with the Browns, and the Jets traded Franklin-Myers to the Broncos after they couldn’t financially afford to keep him and Reddick.

During the last four seasons, Reddick recorded 50.5 sacks, which is the fourth most in the NFL during that span.

With Huff, Jefferson, and Franklin-Myers leaving, the Jets lost 19.5 sacks worth of production. If the Jets were to trade Reddick, they would need to find ways to replace those sacks on their defensive line.

On the unofficial depth chart released last week, the Jets had third-year player Micheal Clemons as one of the starting edge rushers opposite Jermaine Johnson, who registered 7.5 sacks last season. More pressure could also be on 2023 first-round pick Will McDonald.

As a rotational player, McDonald finished with 14 tackles and three sacks during his rookie campaign. Entering training camp, Jets’ coaches and teammates feel like McDonald is stronger than he was a season ago although he is still listed at 236 pounds. During the offseason, there was an emphasis on McDonald becoming a better run defender and an every-down player.

“Incredible growth,” Jets defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton said about McDonald. “He has gotten so much stronger, credit to our weight room staff.

“Better edge setter, all of his game has improved in that way. Mentally, I see a more mature player, not that he was a problem or anything like that, but just understanding the game, understanding the situations. He has come a long way, he still has a long way to go like all of us but I’m so excited about his progress and the steps that he takes every day.

“Will is on the right track.”

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