Eagles Taking a Gamble by Trading Reddick
The Eagles have taken a gamble by trading their best defensive player for no immediate return. Reported first by ESPN, the Eagles have dealt linebacker/defensive end Hasson Reddick to the New York Jets for a conditional third round pick.
It could become a second round pick if Reddick plays in 67.5% of his team’s defensive plays and records at least 10 sacks, according to ESPN.
Reddick, a Haddon Heights graduate, has been among the top pass rushers in the NFL over the past four years.
He has had double-figure sacks in each of the past four seasons. Here are the totals:
2020 Arizona: 12.5
2021 Carolina: 11.0
2022 Eagles: 16.0
2023 Eagles: 11.5
The only players ahead of Reddick over the past four years according to statmuse.com are T.J. Watt (62), Myles Garrett (58) and Trey Hendrickson (53).
Reddick has done more than just record sacks. In addition, among those four players, Reddick had the most forced fumbles over the past four years, 14. During the Eagles’ Super Bowl season in 2022, Reddick led the NFL with five forced fumbles.
It must be noted that Reddick has been extremely durable. He has missed just one game in his first seven NFL seasons.
Last year he began the season with a hand injury and that hampered his play, as he didn’t record a single sack in the first four games.
Reddick is in the final year of a three-year $45 million contract and there was no secret that he was looking for a new deal.
The Jets are expected to provide a new deal for Reddick.
It’s possible that the Eagles felt Reddick’s best days are behind him, especially since he turns 30 in September. Yet Reddick didn’t show any sign of decline this past season.
He earned Pro Bowl honors in each of his two seasons with the Eagles and was a vital part of them reaching the Super Bowl following the 2022 season.
Besides playing locally at Haddon Heights, Reddick was a star at Temple, and he originally stated that he didn’t want to leave. He also, however, wanted a new contract.
Now the question is what will the Eagles do to replace him? They signed Bryce Huff from the New York Jets to a three-year $51 million free agent contract.
They are gambling that Huff, who turns 26 on April 17, will be a younger, better version of Reddick.
Huff had a career-high 10 sacks this past season.
Unlike Reddick, Huff didn’t have a history of great production. In his first three seasons, he totaled just 7.5 sacks.
So, is Huff an ascending player? The Eagles paid him more on average than they did Reddick. If Huff can deliver similar production as Reddick, then the move can certainly be justified.
As of now, the Eagles have lost one of the NFL’s great playmakers, who will go up the turnpike and attempt to make his mark with the Jets.
Photo Courtesy of Eagles' Twitter
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Author: Marc Narducci
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