The New York Jets have had a hectic week, recently adding star wide receiver Davante Adams and resolving a prolonged standoff with edge rusher Haason Reddick by finalizing a modified contract.
Reddick, who was initially set to earn $14.25 million this season, was seeking a multi-year deal worth over $25 million annually. After being dropped by his agent and accumulating over $12 million in fines during his holdout, he will now receive a pro-rated salary of around $9 million for the remainder of the season, along with performance incentives to recover the fines. The Jets and Reddick will continue discussions for a long-term extension beyond 2024.
The Jets’ defensive line, especially the edge rushers, has struggled after losing star Jermaine Johnson to a torn Achilles. With Reddick’s holdout and the offseason trade of John Franklin-Myers, the team had to rely on less experienced players like Micheal Clemons, Takk McKinley, and undrafted free agents, alongside rookie Will McDonald. McDonald has excelled, ranking second in the league with 7 sacks, but the rest have underperformed. Clemons, for instance, has only 2.5 sacks and a poor run defense grade, while the others have combined for just 0.5 sacks.
Reddick’s return adds a proven sack specialist; he’s recorded at least 11 sacks in each of the past four seasons, peaking at 16 in 2022. Despite being slightly smaller at 240 pounds, he has a reputation for being a solid run defender. Under former coach Robert Saleh, the Jets frequently rotated their defensive linemen, with no edge rusher exceeding 66% of snaps last season. Reddick played 74% of snaps with Philadelphia, and if interim coach Jeff Ulbrich employs a similar strategy, we can expect some rotation among the edge defenders.
The key question is whether Ulbrich will maintain his preferred defensive alignment with Reddick back in the mix. If he does, it might reduce Will McDonald’s playing time instead of Clemons’, limiting Reddick’s potential impact.
Reddick will need time to regain his football conditioning after his absence, likely starting as the third edge rusher in Week 8. As he returns to full form, it will be crucial to see whether the Jets prioritize versatility along the edge or focus on getting their best players on the field, regardless of their specific roles. The interim coaching philosophy remains to be determined.
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