Haason Reddick’s contract dispute with the New York Jets has taken a new turn — one that sets the stage for one of the biggest storylines during this time of year.
As the Jets prepare to begin training camp, Reddick remains a no-show and is subject to a $50,000 fine for each day he holds out.
The Pro Bowler wants a long-term deal that makes him one of the NFL’s highest-paid EDGEs. The Jets’ stance is that they won’t negotiate with a player who hasn’t shown up to the facility. So, where do we go from here?
How Did Haason Reddick, Jets Get Here?
When looking at the Reddick situation, there are a couple major points that fans and analysts need to understand.
First, Reddick has been unhappy with his current contract since the completion of the 2022 season. He is currently the 20th-highest-paid player at his position, but one of only two players to record over 10 sacks in each of the last four seasons.
He also doesn’t have any guaranteed money on his contract, which makes him very vulnerable should he sustain an injury. This is a key reason why he has sat out to this point.
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According to Connor Hughes of SNY, the Jets made Reddick an offer that was worth more than his current $14 million salary, but it wouldn’t put him among the highest-paid defensive players in the game.
Originally, it appeared Reddick was willing to agree to an incentive-based deal that would allow him to hit free agency after the season. However, he reportedly reneged on that deal once the Jets traded away John Franklin-Myers on the final day of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Sources: The #Jets made Haason Reddick a contract offer before the trade from Philadelphia. It would have been a raise from the $14.5 million he's scheduled to make this year.
Reddick declined the offer. The Jets said if he wanted more ($25-$28m annually), they needed to see… pic.twitter.com/Ene7jlI6ZQ
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) July 23, 2024
Reddick wants more guaranteed money and to be among the highest-paid pass rushers in the game, and he won’t arrive at camp until that happens. The Jets, meanwhile, have stated that negotiations are on hold until Reddick arrives at camp.
In short, we have a game of chicken with neither side wanting to tip their hand.
What’s Next for Reddick?
As things stand, the Jets do not have the necessary cap space to make Reddick one of the highest-paid defensive players in the league. With just $6.2 million in cap room, New York will need to restructure current players on the roster to facilitate any move for the All-Pro.
It’s also important to remember that Reddick will be fined $50,000 for every day that he stays home, which is a significant amount of money, especially for someone without guarantees in his current contract.
While it’s unlikely that Reddick will actually show up over the first week, the fines will continue to add up at a rate the former Eagle likely won’t be pleased with. It could drive him to arrive at the team facility and be in attendance for practices while not actually participating in them.
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This is known as a “hold-in,” which is what many players — including Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love — are doing now. However, hold-ins are generally reserved for situations where the player and team are close in contract negotiations, as the individual doesn’t want to risk getting injured when they’re on the brink of a big payday.
While this situation doesn’t feel close to resolving, it’s pretty easy to see how the dominoes can fall rather quickly for both sides to get back to the negotiating table and iron out a long-term deal that is suitable for both parties.
How Are the Jets Handling Reddick’s Absence?
While this type of distraction involving a key player could certainly be a hindrance to many teams, the Jets are in a very unique position.
Even without Reddick out there, New York’s defense is already an elite group.
New York has an All-Pro cornerback in Sauce Gardner and multiple All-Pro players around him. They wanted to add a more consistent edge defender, but they also have young players like Will McDonald and Jermaine Johnson should Reddick not show up at all.
While this situation could be seen as a distraction, Reddick’s teammates aren’t concerned.
“Haason is a great person on and off the field,” Quinnen Williams said. “I was in this position last year… I know they will get everything ironed out.”
On Tuesday, defensive captain C.J. Mosley added that the locker room remains focused on the practices ahead.
“When you deal with contracts, it doesn’t get to the locker room,” Mosley said. “We know he’s (Reddick) been in the highest level of competition and when he gets here, we’ll be ready to roll.”
It remains to be seen if the Jets and Reddick will end this stalemate and agree to terms on a long-term extension in the near future.