Eagles' Haason Reddick Trade Buzz Comes at Bad Time; Here's Why

Philadelphia Eagles pass rusher Haason Reddick deserves a raise, but there are several free-agent pass rushers available that could slow his search for a new deal.

It’s not a good time to seek a trade if you are Haason Reddick.

The free-agent market is expected to be teeming with several upper-echelon pass rushers. Reddick, the Philadelphia Eagles pass rusher who has posted four straight double-digit sack seasons, is in that echelon.

The trouble, however, is that a team that wants to bolster its rush would have to give up something of value to acquire Reddick in a deal. There was one report that speculated the Houston Texans could give up a second-round pick for him, but that’s all it was – speculation, nothing based on reality.

Why would a team do that rather than go out and sign a free agent and not have to give up anything to do it? Other than money, of course, but that’s what they would have to give up anyway if they made a deal with the Eagles.

Eagles edge rusher Haason Reddick / USA Today

Expected to hit free agency, unless their current team puts the franchise tag on them are:

• Brian Burns, Carolina Panthers

• Josh Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars

• Danielle Hunter, Minnesota Vikings

• Bryce Huff, New York Jets

• Chase Young, San Francisco 49ers

There are others, too, such as Jonathan Greenard (Houston Texans), Za’Darius Smith (Cleveland Browns), and, dare we say, Derek Barnett (Texans by way of Eagles), among a slew of others.

The right thing would be for the Eagles to do the right thing and give Reddick the hefty pay raise he has earned.

Except, he will turn 30 this year, and they have Nolan Smith, last year’s second of their two first-round picks, and Josh Sweat, who will only turn 27 in March and is entering the final year of a contract extension he signed three years ago.

So, there are some concerns for the Eagles.

If Reddick cannot find a trade partner and the Eagles don’t give him what he wants, would Reddick opt to hold out from camp?

Not likely. Not given his love for a team he grew up rooting for across the river from Philly, just over the Ben Franklin Bridge, in Camden, N.J.

Reddick is reportedly looking for $25 million per year.

The Eagles won’t pay that, not with the looming contract negotiations for Sweat, DeVonta Smith, and Landon Dickerson, to name three. Right now, Reddick is just the 21st highest-paid pass rusher, so something needs to be done.

Report: Eagles' Reddick Asking for 'Garrett Money?'

Here’s a look at the contracts from four of the league’s top rushers – Nick Bosa, T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett, and Maxx Crosby:

• Bosa, San Francisco 49ers. Just 27, Bosa signed a five-year, $170 million contract extension with the 49ers just last September, receiving $122.5 million in guarantees of which $88 million is fully guaranteed at signing.

• Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers. Watt, who will turn 30 during the season, signed a four-year deal in 2021 with $80M guaranteed that made him the highest-paid defensive player at that time.

• Garrett, Cleveland Browns: Garrett, who just turned 28 in December, had his contract restructured last year to create $12.6M in 2023 salary-cap space. 

He had been due to make a base salary of $17.2M and count $29.1M against the cap. He had originally signed a five-year extension in 2020 that had a $21M signing bonus and came with $100M guaranteed.

• Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders. Crosby won’t turn 27 until August, two years ago, he received a four-year deal worth $94M with $53M in guarantees and a $13M signing bonus.