Haason Reddick in a rush to play with Jets' defense: 'It's going to be fun'
Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick reacts after sacking Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during the first half of an NFL game Dec. 10, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. Credit: AP/Michael Ainsworth
One of the first things Haason Reddick did after being traded to the Jets was look at the roster. He saw what they had on defense and envisioned what he could bring to an already strong unit.
“I don’t think anybody’s ready for what’s about to happen,” Reddick said on a Zoom call Monday afternoon. “It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be fun to watch as well.”
The Jets acquired Reddick, one of the most productive pass rushers in the league, from Philadelphia for a conditional 2026 third-round pick. It will become a second-round selection if Reddick plays 67.5% of the defensive snaps and has 10 sacks.
Either way, this was a significant addition for the Jets, who are in win-now mode.
Reddick joins a defense that he said has “dogs at each level” and was ranked third overall. In Reddick, the Jets landed a two-time Pro Bowler whose 50.5 sacks in the past four seasons rank fourth in the NFL.
“Come watch, please. It’s going to be exciting. It’s going to be entertaining,” Reddick said. “I know what I bring. I know the juice that I’m going to bring and the energy. Hopefully it’s contagious and rubs off on the guys. Hopefully their energy does the same for me.
I can pretty much guarantee it’s going to be some great ball being played.”
Reddick feels that way about the Jets on both sides of the ball.
When the Jets traded for Aaron Rodgers last year, Reddick thought “that could be a problem” for opposing teams. The Jets have added big-time pieces this offseason to put around Rodgers: left tackle Tyron Smith, right tackle Morgan Moses, left guard John Simpson and receiver Mike Williams.
Reddick, who helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl two seasons ago, said the overall Jets roster makes them attractive. He believes if they can come together and “become a completely bonded team by the time the season starts, man, I think we can go really, really far.”
Reddick, 29, has a $14.25 million base salary for this season, the last year of his contract. He could sign a new deal with the Jets, but he’s leaving it up to his agent and general manager Joe Douglas to work that out. Reddick is just looking forward to playing in this defense.
The Jets want their front four to attack, win their one-on-one matchups and disrupt the quarterback. Reddick replaces Bryce Huff, who signed a three-year, $51.1 million deal with the Eagles after leading the Jets with 10 sacks last season. Reddick had 11 last season.
“The attack, attack, attack style, I’m all for it,” Reddick said. “I’m all about constantly putting QBs under duress. With the group that we have, the front that we have, we should be able to do that really often.”
The Jets remain high on Will McDonald, last year’s first-round pick. He should benefit from working with and learning from Reddick.
“He’s got to add a lot of strength and power,” coach Robert Saleh said of McDonald. “He’s got to add power to his game. When he learns to run through somebody’s face, he’s going to become a pass rusher where no one will be able to block him.”
Reddick wants to help McDonald get there.
“I believe I can help Will a lot,” he said. “Being a veteran, being somebody that has had success in this league, there’s a lot of knowledge that I have to give to the younger guys, and that’s what I’m here to do. In order for great ball to be played, in order for any goals to be hit, I definitely have to bring my expertise, give my knowledge to help bring the young guys along.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
