Haason Reddick – Welcome Home

Free Agent Signing

Howie Roseman made his first splash in free agency on Monday, bringing in Haason Reddick on a 3-year contract. The contract has a base value of 45 million dollars, with 30 million guaranteed. The deal can be worth up to 49.5 million with incentives.

Background and College

Haason Reddick is familiar with the Philadelphia area. He is a Camden, New Jersey native who attended Haddon Heights High School. After high school, Reddick walked onto the Temple University football team. He redshirted during the 2012 season. Flashing ahead to his senior year, Reddick began to make significant strides. He was named First-Team All-AAC registering 65 tackles and 10.5 sacks. This earned him an invite to the Senior Bowl, where he was moved to the inside linebacker position. He also received an invite to the NFL Combine. Strong performances in the senior bowl and combine led to the rise of Reddick’s stock as he went from a freshman walk-on to the highest-rated linebacker in the draft. The Arizona Cardinals selected Reddick with the 13th pick in the first round.

National Football League

Haason Reddick started his career with Arizona and was reunited with Matt Rhule in Carolina when Arizona declined his 5th-year option. Reddick has played in all 16 games each season during his 5-year career. He has seen significant improvement over the years and has developed into one of the most dangerous pass rushers in the NFL. Here’s a look at his production throughout his career: 

Fitting into the Defensive Line

It is no secret that the Eagles needed to bolster their defense this off-season. Although they need to address all areas of their defense, the pass rush was a major issue this season. In the past two seasons, Reddick would have easily been the leading sack getter on the team. In the past, Reddick has been used as a linebacker, but the Eagles are better off using him as a pass rusher. Javon Hargrave and Josh Sweat are coming off career years. Brandon Graham, who led the Eagles in sacks during the 2020 season, will also be back. Although Cox has not been as dominant the past few years, he is now part of a talented group of pass rushers, which could help his production. Also, instead of dealing with Derek Barnett on the outside, offensive lines now have to account for Reddick, which will free up more space for the rest of the line.

Quick Hitters

1. This signing filled a need perfectly for the Eagles. They were reported to be in on Calvin Ridley before his suspension and Marcus Williams before he signed with Baltimore. This shows that the front office knows where the holes in this team are, and they are trying to improve on them. The same can be said for the Reddick signing. He will fill a pass rushing hole the defense has had for a while now, and he is also a local guy who should fit into the culture and city perfectly.

2. Another reason I love this signing is that you can still build your defense in the draft. The Eagles still need defensive line help and another linebacker or two. Reddick can be a stable player in his role as rookies adapt to the NFL. This will also help add rotational depth to what can be a very deep defensive line rotation next season. Lastly, Reddick is still only 27 years old and could be a veteran leader on this defense in the future.

3. The Eagles need to keep improving this off-season. Their first free agency signing was a great one, but let’s not stop here. There are still needs on both sides of the ball, and free agents are still available. Some notable names out there are Tyrann Mathieu and Myles Jack. Both of these would be massive additions. I would love to see Mathieu in midnight green. He has the attitude and intensity to play in Philadelphia and would be a strong piece to add to a growing defense. They could have a scary defense next year if the Birds can get one or two more big free agents.

Haason Reddick Season Predictions

Coming off back-to-back monster seasons, I don’t see Reddick slowing down at all. Here is what I expect out of him next season:

What are your expectations for Haason this season?

Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers