After a six-month wait, edge rusher Haason Reddick was back at Jets headquarters on Monday.
Redick ended his holdout by agreeing to a re-contract that gives him and the team a chance to pay him his remaining base salary and recoup some of the roughly $12 million in fines he lost during the holdout.
“He's motivated,” interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said. “He is ready to act with us. From a physical point of view, there are some things that he has to be evaluated, but after that he will be fully integrated into everything we do. I guess.”
Redick has recorded double-digit sacks in each of the past four seasons and could help improve the Jets' pass rush.
“This is like a real productive speed element of our rush package,” Ulbrich said. “I'm very excited to have him on the team. As we all know, we're at our best during the four o'clock rush and he'll allow us to do that.”
Ulbrich said he won't know until later in the week whether Redick will be able to play Sunday against the Patriots.
“I think it's a little premature to say that,” Ulbrich said. “You know, we've got to see more. He looks like he's doing great, he's saying he's doing great. Obviously, for us to make that decision, he's going to be out on the field. You need to spend some time on this first.”
Some may wonder if the Jets players would welcome Redick after he missed the first seven games of the season, but everyone seems ready for him.
“I'm really excited for Haason,” defensive lineman Solomon Thomas said. “We're going to welcome him with open arms. We're happy for him. We're all asking questions and that he's getting the money that he deserves. He's a great player and I can't wait to be his teammate and get to know him more and play soccer with him. I can't wait to play. He's a great player.”
Coach Ulbrich has not released any updates on the players injured in Sunday's loss.
He said guard Xavier Newman, who suffered a severe neck injury, was able to return home with the team after going to a hospital in Pittsburgh for tests during the game.
Ulbrich on Davante Adams catching three passes for 30 yards in Jets debut: “I thought he played well. Absolutely. He had some. And obviously , there are some things that I would like to see him return, you know, and there will be. But I think one of my favorite snaps in this game was the interception that was thrown. And at the point of the interception. So, he was the furthest guy from that ball. And he was the one who ended up making the tackle at the 1-yard line. I mean, how connected he is to this locker room already, and what he's doing for him. It’s an amazing demonstration of what we want to do.”
