Few teams have been as assertive in free agency this offseason as the Philadelphia Eagles. There’s still one lingering question the organization still has to answer, though, and it’s regarding their best pass rusher.
Haason Reddick is looking for a new deal, and the Eagles have allowed his representation to search for a trade partner. The former Temple star wants to remain in Philly, but on a new deal that makes him one of the highest-paid defensive players at his position. Philadelphia believes he hasn’t done enough to warrant that kind of contract.
With both sides at an impasse, and the longer this drags out, is there a chance both could put aside their differences and agree on a revised deal to keep Reddick in Philadelphia through the 2024 NFL season?
Will the Eagles and Haason Reddick Agree to Altered Deal?
Reddick is currently entering the final year of a three-year contract with the Eagles and has consistently pushed his desire to return to Philadelphia…at his price.
In 2024, Reddick carries a base salary of $14 million. With two Pro Bowl nods with the Eagles and 27 sacks through those two seasons, the Camden native is looking for money north of what newly signed Eagle Bryce Huff made on the open market ($17 million average annual salary).
Philadelphia looks at Reddick’s age (29) and the fact that he — along with many members of the 2023 defense — is coming off a disappointing season as reasons to not budge on their contract offer.
There is some room for both sides to agree. It just might not be on the kind of long-term deal Reddick is hoping for.
When the Eagles pushed back the due date for Reddick to receive a $1 million roster bonus on April 1, the idea was that it would give them more time to decide whether or not they would like to trade him or find common ground on a reworked deal that would allow for him to come back for the 2024 season and hit free agency the following year.
Interestingly enough, the longer trade negotiations stall, the more likely it seems that the Eagles and Reddick’s representation will do exactly that. It’s how Philadelphia was able to bring Josh Sweat back to the team without an issue.
It also helps that it seems Philadelphia’s coaching staff expects to have him by training camp.
Nick Sirianni Speaks on Reddick
At the Annual League Meetings in Orlando, Florida, head coach Nick Sirianni made clear that, despite the contract standoff he is in, Reddick is still seen as an Eagle on the roster.
“We have Sweat, BG [Brandon Graham], Nolan [Smith], Patrick Johnson, Bryce [Huff], Haason. We’ll see how it plays out,” Sirianni said when detailing how Huff would fit in with the organization.
Bringing Reddick’s name back is no accident. It’s a sign that the Eagles may be comfortable giving him enough of a bonus to his current contract while also allowing him to hit free agency in 2025.
It’s why the Eagles signed Huff in the first place. After going from a franchise-record 70 sacks in 2022, Philadelphia was in the bottom echelon of both pressures and sacks last year. An infusion of young talent was needed.
KEEP READING: Eagles 2024 NFL Draft Prospect Visit Tracker
Quality veteran players are also needed, which is why the Birds and their top pass rusher remain at a standstill. The longer it goes on, the more it seems other teams aren’t interested in matching the Eagles’ price tag for the edge rusher — making it more likely that Reddick returns to Philadelphia.
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