Haason Reddick Trade? Eagles GM Howie Roseman Hints at Future in Free Agency

Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman's comments about playing younger guys and looking toward the future may not bode well for Haason Reddick's return

The NFL salary cap is going up, so Philadelphia Eagles sack master Haason Reddick is coming back. Right? Not so fast.

General manager Howie Roseman was asked more than once about his star pass rusher’s contract situation during his media session at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday.

He didn’t reveal much, except for a somewhat innocuous response that you could perhaps read between the lines for an answer.

It wasn’t a question about Reddick as much as it was about the increase in the NFL’s salary cap to a league-record $255 million, which is the same amount that quarterback Jalen Hurts’ contract extension from a season ago is worth. That’s a story for another time.

“I think you've still got to be cognizant of how you want to build a team,” said Roseman. “You've still got to be aware of guys coming up for contracts that you want to keep that you don't anticipate losing.

“And I think it also gives you some flexibility to not force things, to have the ability to walk away from a deal and understand that it may come about at another time.”

Haason Reddick / © Bill Streicher, USA TODAY

Those guys would be the team’s top two picks from 2021 – receiver DeVonta Smith, taken 10th overall, and offensive lineman Landon Dickerson, kicked 37th overall.

Asked about Smith, Roseman said: “DeVonta is an incredible person, incredible player; obviously homegrown, young guy. Without getting into specifics, those are guys you don't really want to leave.”

Dickerson falls into that same category.

Roseman also talked a lot about playing younger players, such as Nolan Smith, who he said was, “One of the guys who played well in the playoff game, maybe giving him a little bit more time during the year and experience, we talked about that. 

"He's got all the right tools in his body. He's got the right mentality. And at the same time, he's got to go out and show it.”

Smith just turned 23 in January. Reddick will turn 30 on Sept. 22.

On the other hand, the GM also talked about improving the team. Does getting rid of Reddick, your best pass rusher make you better?

It doesn’t, no matter how well you draft in April or how much Smith goes out and shows it.

Maybe this is another line Roseman said that could lead you to believe Reddick is gone.

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“This is our salary cap money,” he said. “We've got to make sure we're still making good decisions with it because, at the end of the day, as we go forward, we do have a lot of guys making a lot of money.”

Perhaps the only path back is if Reddick gives his team a deep, deep hometown discount – a kid from Camden who went to Temple and rooted for the Eagles.

There’s also the matter of compensation coming back in a trade for Reddick. Even then, teams could force the Eagles’ hand and hope he gets released with a post-June 1 designation. It’s after that date when the Eagles could cut him and save $16M under the salary cap.

“Haason obviously (is) an unbelievable player for the Philadelphia Eagles,” said Roseman. “Local kid, great success story. …Love having Haason.

“I think that anything you're trying to do, you're trying to blend obviously what you're trying to do this year and how you're going to look in the future. I think that's the hardest job. Certainly, (I) don't want to get into any specifics with any conversations with players, but (I) have tremendous respect for the player and the person.”