Haason Reddick produced at another ridiculous clip for the Carolina Panthers in 2021. Ultimately, it led to Reddick signing a massive contract with the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency.
Haason Reddick signs with Philadelphia Eagles
Reddick agreed to a three-year, $45 million deal with the Eagles on Monday. He offers Philly versatility as a pass rusher and off-ball linebacker. The Eagles add one of the most explosive edge defenders in the NFL. However, Reddick can occasionally drop into coverage as well.
Who is Reddick?
Reddick has made two stops before joining Philadelphia. The Arizona Cardinals drafted Reddick with the 13th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Because the Cardinals are obsessed with drafting hybrid players and changing their position at the next level, the college defensive end played as a traditional inside linebacker for three seasons. It wasn’t until a Chandler Jones injury in 2020 that he rotated back down to the defensive line.
He immediately produced, notching 12.5 sacks in his first full season as a pass rusher. But that wasn’t the end of it. The league didn’t know if Reddick was worth a massive second deal because of his small sample size, so the Carolina Panthers reaped the reward. He tallied 11 sacks for them in 2021, proving his worth as a pure pass rusher.
Breaking down his last two seasons
Reddick may never produce a high rate of pressure during his NFL career. He’s a very small pass rusher with shorter arms. That means he will be completely swallowed up by offensive tackles able to grasp him. But that’s the rub.
At 6-foot-1, 235 pounds, he’s also a freaky athlete both in a straight line and in direction changes. His slight frame already presents a tiny target, and he’s adept at making himself even skinnier as he rushes the arc.
Usually, pressures are an excellent barometer for future success as a rusher. However, Reddick is in a unique situation. Because of his speed, agility, and pass-rush plan, he may not consistently pressure quarterbacks, but he will consistently take them down. When a player can win as quickly as Reddick can, he will get home at a high rate.
Who is left on the market?
Reddick is an every-down player, but he has a very particular skill set. If teams are looking for the “designated pass rusher” type, there are a few to look at in the second wave of free agency.
The first one that comes to mind is Arden Key, who was very productive in his limited role in San Francisco. Another would be Everson Griffen, who had 5 sacks in nine games for Minnesota in 2021.