In the latest episode of “Only the Jets,” up-and-coming pass rusher Bryce Huff was traded to the Eagles for a new $17 million annual free agent salary, and Jets general manager Joe Douglas traded for an established Eagles pass rusher who never showed up to training camp and has now made his trade request public.
Haason Reddick is trying to cheat on the Jets.
Redick is tightening his screws with a general manager who, along with Robert Saleh, must at least end the franchise’s 13-year playoff drought to keep his job.
However, Douglas was in no rush to sign Redick to a long-term contract when he gave up his 2026 conditional third-round draft pick to him, and he shouldn’t be in any rush to cave to Redick now.
Even if you look in the mirror and see scrambled eggs on your face, Douglas is not innocent here. In a business where your name isn’t on the dotted line, good faith verbal agreements can come back to haunt you.
But what about now, with less than a month until Opening Day in San Francisco?
Don’t blink.
See through his bluff.
And GM immediately decided to do just that.
“We have informed Haasson that he will not be traded, that we expect him to be here with his teammates and that failure to report to work will result in fines under the CBA,” Joe Douglas said in a statement. “Since trade negotiations in March, we have been clear, forthright and consistent in our position. As we prepare for the regular season, we remain focused on the players who are here with us.”
boom!
Redick seems to believe he has every advantage going up against an owner and general manager who were so desperate to move heaven and earth for Aaron Rodgers 17 months ago.
He is wrong.
He turns 30 next month. What will his strategy be? Will he sit out the season and then beg for a huge contract when the 2025 season arrives at age 31? And will his rights still belong to the Jets? That would be financial suicide. And career suicide.
“All options are open right now. Contractually, I’m leaving it up to my agent and Joe. Whatever happens, I’ll be happy,” Redick said in his introductory press conference. “Whatever happens, I’m going to give it my all. That’s who I am. So, whatever the outcome, whatever the year, however long I’m here, I’m going to give my all to this team and to the fans.”
The individual was fined $50,000 per day for the past 21 days.
The man broke his promise.
There’s no question that Redick is an elite pass rusher (50.5 sacks over the past four seasons), and with a non-guaranteed base salary of $14.25 million in the final year of his contract, he’s in the running for the next tier behind Nick Bosa ($34 million).
Josh Hines Allen: $28.25 million.
Brian Burns: $28.2 million.
TJ Watt: $28 million.
Myles Garrett: $25 million.
The problem for Douglas is that with Jets faithful like DJ Reed and Michael Carter II in the final years of their contracts, he’ll be filling up wheelbarrows with Woody Johnson money for a player who has turned into a Howard Hughes without practicing with his new teammates.
Douglas would likely agree to sweeten the terms, convert non-guaranteed money into guaranteed money and negotiate a long-term release at or after the season if Redick decides to play.
For his sake, for his future, Redick would be better off bowing out.
Disgruntled and underpaid 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk recently rejected offers to go to the Patriots and Browns in a trade for Amari Cooper.
Redick? He was hell-bent on helping Rodgers chase that inevitable Super Bowl…until he wasn’t. Until he changed his mind. There was a mutual understanding that he would report under the terms of his current contract. As for the Eagles’ Super Bowl run in 2022, Redick raved about the Jets’ roster in March, saying, “And what we have here is an opportunity, if we can all get together and build chemistry and be on the same page and be a fully cohesive team by the time the season starts. I think we can go really far.”
Of course, this is another bad look for the Jets. Another piece of fodder for the regular Jets fan. Huff is gone. Redick can’t wait to join the Jets. Change your attitude and take a tough stance.
And now here we are.
Will McDonald could make the same sophomore leap Jermaine Johnson made last year and keep the Jets’ defense elite. C.J. Mosley could call Redick and tell him what he has to lose. Rodgers, who selflessly gave up $35 million in guaranteed money, could step in now for Redick.
“I don’t think anybody’s ready for what’s going to happen,” Redick said in March, “but it’s going to be fun. It’s going to be fun to watch.”
The Jets want Haason Reddick. They need Haason Reddick. As much as the Jets want and need him, he needs to wake up and realize he needs the Jets more than the Jets need him.
