Jets $45 Million Failed Pickup Linked To Surprising NFC Team

We are just about one month away from free agency kicking off across the NFL...

Oct 31, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets defensive end Haason Reddick (7) looks on during pregame warmups for their game against the Houston Texans at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images / Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

The New York Jets were aggressive last offseason as they attempted to improve the defense.

Former New York defensive end Bryce Huff signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency. The two teams essentially flipped pass rushers as the Eagles traded two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Haason Reddick to New York.

Reddick signed a three-year, $45 million deal with Philadelphia and had one year left. While this is the case, he didn't report to New York for a while and held out for a new deal. He only appeared in 10 games with the Jets last year and had one sack after racking up 27 over the previous two campaigns.

It isn't the Jets' fault that the move didn't work out. They brought a talented player into the mix but things just didn't work out due to financial issues. Now, Reddick is going to be a free agent. It doesn't seem very likely that he's going to return but which team could land him? ESPN's Matt Bowen called the Washington Commanders the "best team fit" for him.

"Best team fit: Washington Commanders," Bowen said. "Reddick might be looking at a short-term deal after holding out to start the 2024 season before being traded to the Jets. But he has a history of making impact plays, with 59 sacks and 18 forced fumbles over his career. And before last season, he put together three straight campaigns with a pass rush win rate over 20%. Reddick would fill a need for the Commanders on the edge, and I like the fit as a schemed rusher in Dan Quinn's defense."

Bowen ranked Reddick as the No. 17 pending free agent. Washington was one of the most surprising teams in football in 2024. The Commanders struggled in 2023 and had just four wins in 2023 and followed it up with 12 in 2024 and made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game. Washington shocked the football world and now needs to improve its defense a tad. Landing someone of Reddick's caliber for a whole season absolutely could do that.

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