Will Johnson’s Injury Weaken New York Jets’ Haason Reddick Strategy?

The injury to New York Jets defensive end Jermaine Johnson could be the impetus for an agreement with holdout Haason Reddick.

Nov 20, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick (7) celebrates after a sack against the Kansas City Chiefs during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

For the past couple of weeks, many have tried to figure out how the New York Jets and edge rusher Haason Reddick might finally resolve their differences and get a contract extension done.

Up until the third quarter of Sunday’s game between the Jets and the Tennessee Titans, all of those potential pathways were theoretical.

Not anymore. Not after Jermaine Johnson.

The New York edge rusher left Sunday’s game with a non-contact Achilles injury. He wasn’t off the field more than 15 minutes before New York (1-1) announced to the media the injury and that he was done for the day.

Coach Robert Saleh was asked if the injury was a torn Achilles. He wouldn’t come right out and confirm it, but he said, "It's unfortunately looking like that."

I suspect in the next day or two the Jets will rule Johnson out for the rest of the season. It’s rare for a team to provide a definitive diagnosis for an injury that soon after it happens and it work out in the player’s favor.

So, now the theoretical — a player injury that might force the Jets and general manager Joe Douglas to recalibrate their stance — is now real.

And, if we’re being real, it’s time for Douglas to give a little.

For week’s it’s been simple. The Jets have made it clear they won't deal with Reddick until he reports to the team. Reddick and his representatives have made it clear that they will not report until he is dealt with.

The Jets were happy to allow Reddick to lose whatever money he wanted. After missing Sunday’s game with Tennessee, ESPN estimated that Reddick has surrendered close to $8 million in fines, unearned salary and bonus forfeiture.

The Athletic’s Zach Rosenblatt came in over the top and noted that if Reddick sat out the entire year, he would surrender $21.75 million — and he’s only scheduled to make $14.25 million. Plus, if he doesn’t report, it’s not like he becomes a free agent. The Jets get his rights in 2025.

He surely won’t repeat Le’Veon Bell’s mistake in 2018 with Pittsburgh, right? No. That’s a cautionary tale now. At some point, Reddick either has to report so he can get his service time to become a free agent or force the Jets to trade him.

He now has far less incentive to do the former. The Jets now have far less incentive to do the latter.

Johnson is a solid player. He’s coming off a 7.5 sack season in 2023. Given his age and is play already, he’s the sort of player the Jets would probably want to lock up long-term. He’s now most likely done for the year. But, at least they control his rights an extra year.

Sure, New York could hope that Will McDonald could become that this season, and he made a statement with three sacks. That’s what he did last year. Can he be consistent in that role?

Or, does Jets general manager Joe Douglas find a way to give to a player with a proven track record of getting to the quarterback and could make the immediate impact the Jets wanted all along?

With Johnson and McDonald, he has a future set of edges for the next two years. Reddick wants out after this season, I think. He has one chance to test the open market. He won’t get it without reporting.

But, now, Douglas has to make the first move. The situation requires it.

There are ways to do this and save face, right? Contracts have been extended before with escalators, offsets and player options, right? It’s time for Douglas to get creative.

The next two weeks seem critical. After two weeks something usually gives. For the 1993 Dallas Cowboys, it was an 0-2 start without holdout running back Emmitt Smith. Owner Jerry Jones paid up. The Cowboys won their second straight Super Bowl.

Johnson isn’t Smith. But his injury highlights how depth can change in a blink of an eye — and how one strategy in a holdout like this can be rendered impotent.

This injury might have done that for Douglas. By the time the Jets return from their extended break after their Thursday night showdown with New England, we should know.

If I were Douglas, I’d find a way.