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From former first-round quarterbacks to star wide receivers, these are five trades that need to happen around the NFL
Well, here we are. It’s that part of the year where the Super Bowl just finished and we’re all just sitting with blank stares waiting for the new league year to begin in a month.
In that dead time, though, there will be plenty of speculation on upcoming free agents, as well as players that could be traded once teams are allowed to do so. With that in mind, these are five trades that need to happen.
Eagles pass rusher Haason Reddick says Philadelphia is home, and he did not request a trade ahead of NFL free agency
The Haason Reddick era in Philadelphia could end shortly, as the All-Pro pass rusher has been permitted to seek a trade ahead of the new league year.
Reddick finished the 2023 season with 11.0 sacks and 38 tackles in 17 regular-season games, and he recorded double-digit sacks for the fourth consecutive season, leading his team in that category and tying for 15th in the NFL.
Like Darius Slay last offseason, Reddick told Jordan Schultz that he did not request a trade.
Just spoke to #Eagles All-Pro pass-rusher Haason Reddick, who tells me he never requested a trade and he wants to stay in Philadelphia. “I would like to get an extension done here at home. At no point did I ever tell the organization I want to be traded.”
Reddick has one year… pic.twitter.com/qLsJpWYrG9
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 13, 2024
With the Super Bowl completed and offseason business set to pick up, here are four takeaways from Reddick’s rebuttal.
Could the Cardinals acquire their former first-round pick?
A big-time pass rusher is available via trade. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Philadelphia Eagles have given linebacker Haason Reddick permission to seek a trade as he enters the final year of his contract.
Reddick, who was drafted originally in the first round in 2017 by the Arizona Cardinals, enters the final year of a three-year, $45 million contract with the Eagles.
He has been extremely productive. Last season, he had 11 sacks. In 2022, he had 16 and has had double-digit sacks in four consecutive seasons.
He has a $1 million roster bonus due March 15 and is due to make $14.3 million in salary in 2024. He will count $21.9 million against the cap.
Cutting him or trading him will not save the Eagles much cap space. Because of void years on his contract and restructure bonuses, he will count $20.7 million against the cap in dead money if cut or traded, saving the Eagles only $1.2 million in cap space.
He is 29 years old.
This news immediately raises the question — would the Cardinals trade for their former No. 1 pick? They badly need pass-rushing production. Reddick had 16 sacks for the Eagles when Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon was the defensive coordinator in Philly and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis was his linebackers coach.
However, what would it cost both in terms of trade capital and in a contract extension?
The Cardinals would have to acquire him and pay him as he enters his age 30 season.
He would be a huge addition. would he want to return to Arizona after they spurned him after his 2020 season?
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
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Lions should have real interest in the Eagles’ desire to trade EDGE Haason Reddick, but there are complicating factors in making it happen
Last night’s Super Bowl officially ended the 2023 season. It’s time now for free agency and the draft, and loading up the Detroit Lions for another deep playoff run, hopefully one that culminates in playing in next year’s final game.
There’s another way to add impact talent to the roster: trades. And the Philadelphia Eagles have created an opportunity for the Lions to answer one of their biggest questions on defense.
The Eagles have given permission to edge rusher Haason Reddick to seek a trade. Reddick has hit double figures in sacks in each of the last four seasons, with 11 in 2023 after 16 in his fantastic 2022 campaign. The two-time Pro Bowler is one of the most consistent stand-up pass rushers in the league.
Yes, the Lions should have interest in trading for Reddick. But it’s not as simple as GM Brad Holmes calling up his Eagles counterpart, Howie Roseman, and snatching away a good starter for nothing.
First, there’s the matter of salary. Reddick is due $15.5 million in the final year of the three-year, $45 million contract he signed with the Eagles in 2022. There’s also a $1 million roster bonus due on March 15 that likely serves as an unofficial deadline for the Eagles to get a trade done.
The Lions can readily absorb the $15.5 million hit. But one of the reasons the Eagles are prepared to move on is because Reddick, who turns 30 in September, has already been angling for a deal similar to what Montez Sweat (Chicago Bears) and Rashan Gary (Green Bay Packers) have gotten recently. That’s in the range of $20 million to $24 million per year.
Making that kind of contract fit would be difficult for Detroit. Remember, the Lions have to pay (in no particular order) Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Jared Goff and at least one of their starting guards a lot more money than they get now — all in the next six to 12 months.
Of course, the Lions could view Reddick as an expensive one-year rental, but that would figure to lower what Detroit would be willing to give up to acquire him. The Lions will not be the only bidder. Pay attention to the wording from the Eagles, too. They’ve given permission to Reddick to seek a trade. Read as: Reddick and his representation get to seek out the best deal they can find, and then the Eagles have to agree to it. Reddick wants to cash in before he turns 30 and before his decline in overall play starts to get more noticeable. He has never been a great run defender or tackler with the Eagles, Panthers or Cardinals, so keeping up the sacks and pressures is mandatory to his value.
The 11 sacks were great, and the manner in which Reddick gets them would perfectly fit into the Lions defense on the opposite side of Aidan Hutchinson. Detroit should definitely be interested in paying Reddick for the 11 sacks and the closing speed around the outside edge that the team sorely lacked in 2023. But they have to be careful not to expect the 16-sack season that Reddick posted in 2022, when he was named second-team All-Pro. That sure looks like an anomalous peak season.
That distinction might not seem important, but it certainly is for Reddick. This is most likely his last chance to get a big paycheck, and he’ll emphasize his peak. So will the Eagles in any trade discussion, and that’s the difference between (spitballing here) two Day 2 picks over the next two drafts or a second-round pick this year and a sixth-round pick swap in 2025. For a team like the Lions, who build so carefully in the draft, that’s a big deal.
I would expect Holmes and the Lions to be a leading contender to acquire Reddick. They should be, anyway. He’d make for a wonderful complement to Hutchinson and give the pass rush the dimension it sorely lacked from the likes of Charles Harris, Romeo Okwara and an injured James Houston in 2023. But the price will need to be right, and that’s something the Lions cannot control.
Could Reddick be the next Andrew Berry trade target?
It looks like pass rusher Haason Reddick’s time with the Philadelphia Eagles is coming to a close. Could the Cleveland Browns be interested given that the Eagles have given him permission to seek a trade?
Reddick has been one of the most productive pass rushers in the league over the past four seasons with double-digit sacks in all four.
The Browns could be in search of another pass rusher with Za’Darius Smith a pending free agent. Cleveland GM Andrew Berry has a strong relationship with Howie Roseman from their time together in Philadelphia in 2019. That could mean he gives his old friend a call to ask what it would take to get Reddick.
You can never have enough pass rushers, and it is hard to argue that the Browns wouldn’t get better if they acquired Reddick. One thing that could cause the Browns to hesitate is the $14.5 million base cap number for Reddick in the final year of his deal with the Eagles.
Reddick is also the same style of player as what the Browns already have in Ogbo Okoronkwo, though having multiple players like that isn’t a bad thing. In the end, Reddick is still an elite pass rusher showing no real signs of slowing down, and he will only be 30 heading into the 2024 season.
Berry would likely look to change that cap number with a new contract, so depending on the trade price, I would absolutely at least entertain the idea of adding him to this talented defensive front.
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Trading for Eagles Pro Bowler Haason Reddick is a risky option for fixing the New Orleans Saints pass rush, but it could bring big rewards:
It’s no secret that the New Orleans Saints must improve their pass rush. They were one of the worst teams last season getting after the quarterback, and it’s still a major area of concern going into 2024 despite having so many high draft picks invested along the defensive line. The unit has to play better, and adding more players to the mix might be the best path forward.
So here’s an interesting option: Haason Reddick, the Philadelphia Eagles’ sacks leader in each of the last two years. A two-time Pro Bowler, Reddick has taken the quarterback down 27 times over the last two seasons, tacking on 3.5 sacks in the playoffs last year. The 29-year-old has bagged double-digit sacks in each of the last four seasons.
But there are risks involved. Reddick is seeking an extension that the Eagles might not want to pay, which is why NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports the team has given him permission to seek a trade. There’s a year left on his contract but no more guaranteed money. There are pros and cons to the Saints pursuing him.
It would be an expensive move. To start, any team trading for Reddick before June 1 would take on a $15.5 million salary cap hit ($1 million of which comes from a roster bonus due March 15). It’s possible a team could convince the Eagles to pay part of Reddick’s $14.25 million salary, reducing that cap hit, but it would require giving up better draft picks in a trade. The Saints did this in trading for Bradley Roby with the Houston Texans a few years ago and attempted it last season in discussing a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders for Hunter Renfrow.
Let’s say the Eagles reject that proposal, though. So the Saints trade for Reddick and then must figure out their next step. The likeliest move would be a restructure — reducing Reddick’s salary to the veteran minimum and paying the difference as a $14.25 million signing bonus, which would be paid out over five years for cap purposes. Reddick’s 2024 cap hit would fall at about $5.1 million, which is mighty affordable for a talented pass rusher.
The downside? Reddick’s contract expires in 2025, which means he would leave behind roughly $10.4 million in dead money if he leaves in free agency. And the whole reason he’s available is because he’s seeking a trade to a team that will sign him to an extension. It’s tough to see him approving a trade to New Orleans if the Saints are not interested in extending him either.
And let’s get to the other cost of this move — the trade. Beyond the fact that Eagles general manger Howie Roseman has gotten the better of his Saints counterpart Mickey Loomis so often and so badly that Loomis has publicly voiced concern about dealing with him, star pass rushers in their prime aren’t cheap. A good comparison for Reddick at this stage in his career is Khalil Mack, who was traded from the Chicago Bears to the Los Angeles Chargers a few years ago. Mack was a year older than Reddick is now with lesser production in the years leading up to the trade:
Mack was traded for a current-year second-round pick and a future sixth-round pick. Any deal for Reddick would have to outdo that. Another part of the equation is that Mack still had three years left on his contract when he was traded. Remember, Reddick is looking for a new deal.
While the Saints have a plan to reach salary cap compliance and open up room for new additions, it’s fair to ask whether Reddick makes sense for them. Considering their cap resources, the draft picks they would need to invest in him, and their defensive system, he might not be the best option. Head coach Dennis Allen’s preference for heavyset defensive ends would make the 6-foot-1, 240-pound Reddick an awkward fit. They did find success late last year allowing the 6-3, 225-pound Zack Baun to rush off the edge but only in a limited capacity. There’s a good chance Allen would try to fit a square peg into a round hole and ask Reddick to play in coverage as an off-ball linebacker, which is something he hasn’t enjoyed doing in Philadelphia.
We should expect the Saints to explore all their options in upgrading the pass rush off the edge. Cameron Jordan is past his prime. Young draft picks like Payton Turner and Isaiah Foskey have not produced. Tanoh Kpassagnon is a good veteran to have in the rotation, but Carl Granderson is the only proven commodity in the group. Trading for someone like Reddick might make sense, but the Saints could also consider the free agent market and ultimately wait and see who is available in the draft. The only path that isn’t an option: running it back with things the way they stand now.
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We’re looking at five takeaways from the Philadelphia Eagles granting Haason Reddick permission to seek a trade ahead of NFL free agency
The Haason Reddick era in Philadelphia could be coming to an end, as the All-Pro pass rusher has been given permission to seek a trade ahead of the new league year.
Reddick finished the year with 11.0 sacks and 38 tackles in 17 regular-season games, and he recorded double-digit sacks for the fourth consecutive season, leading his team in that category and tying for 15th in the NFL.
With the Super Bowl set to be played, and business set to pick up, here are four takeaways from the news.
Haason Reddick is looking for a contract extension and with NFL free agency set to begin, the Philadelphia Eagles have given the Pro Bowl pass rusher permission to seek a trade
We wrote about Haason Reddick and the Eagles likely discussing a potential extension or the All-Pro pass rusher taking his talents elsewhere.
Ian Rapoport reports that Reddick has permitted Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman to seek a trade before the start of NFL free agency.
Sources: #Eagles All-Pro edge rusher Haason Reddick has received permission to seek a trade following another disruptive season featuring double digit sacks. The 29-year old with 27 sacks over two seasons in Philly could land elsewhere. pic.twitter.com/WxIGTac24M
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 11, 2024
Reddick finished the year with 11.0 sacks and 38 tackles in 17 regular-season games, and he recorded double-digit sacks for the fourth consecutive season, leading his team in that category and tying for 15th in the NFL.
Had Nolan Smith shown that he was ready to be an elite pass rusher, the idea would have been to cut Reddick, saving the Eagles $11 million after the dead money allotment.
Outside of the sacks, though, Reddick’s numbers were poor by his standards.
His 38 tackles were the second-lowest mark of his career, and he didn’t force or recover a fumble after forcing five and recovering three last season. His snap share (74 percent) remained identical, indicating the drop-off wasn’t due to a lack of opportunities but mismanagement from coaches.
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We’re looking at the studs and duds from the Philadelphia Eagles 2023 regular season
The Eagles are set for wholesale changes as owner Jeffrey Lurie and GM Howie Roseman evaluated Nick Sirianni’s future following Philadelphia’s historic collapse, finishing the season 1-6 after a 10-1 start.
The first domino to fall is All-Pro center Jason Kelce, 36, who reportedly told his teammates he is retiring after 13 seasons with the Eagles but may now be having a change of heart.
Brandon Graham, who turns 36 in April, says he wants to return to the Eagles for one more final season, his 15th, and he’s one of the few guys on the roster deserving of writing his final script.
According to Over The Cap, Philadelphia has 20+ free agents, and we’re looking at the studs and duds from a disappointing finish.
We’re looking at highlights from the 2024 NFL Pro Bowl games, and the Flag Football competition
We can now look towards Super Bowl 58 as the NFC won the Pro Bowl Games with an overall score of 64-59.
Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson broke up a pass from Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud to Los Angeles Chargers receiver Keenan Allen, creating a turnover on downs with four seconds remaining.
Stroud led all quarterbacks with 173 yards on 18-of-22 passing, while Seattle Seahawks’ Geno Smith led the NFC in passing with 154 yards on 15-of-21 passing.
Allen was among the standouts, with 90 receiving yards on nine catches, including three touchdowns receiving and one passing.
Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb had three touchdown catches, including one from Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown had ten catches for 117 yards and a TD for the NFC.
