Whether or not the Bucs’ signing of edge rusher Haason Reddick works out or not stays to be seen. However the preliminary considered the general contract of one-year and $12 million with an opportunity to get to $14 million was seen as a low-risk, high-reward kind of deal.
This enables the Bucs to usher in a brand new edge rusher who hopefully can faucet into the form of participant he was simply a few seasons in the past when he recorded double-digit sacks annually. It additionally offers Reddick the chance to get a stable pay day this 12 months whereas additionally placing himself ready to get that sought-after massive contract subsequent offseason (both with the Bucs or some place else) that he needed a 12 months in the past with the Jets in the beginning fell to items.
Within the meantime, the Bucs nonetheless have Yaya Diaby and are growing Chris Braswell at outdoors linebacker. There’s additionally likelihood they draft one other edge rusher this season. It’s a win-win for either side. And if it doesn’t work out…effectively…it’s just for one season.
Bucs Get Large Reward For Haason Reddick Contract
That’s why many individuals have been followers of this deal, together with Gilberto Manzano of Sports activities Illustrated, who compiled a listing of the most effective and worst free agent worth signings from free company this offseason. Manzano has the Reddick cope with the Bucs within the class of greatest worth signings together with Justin Fields going to the Jets, Najee Harris inking a cope with the Chargers, and D.J. Reed heading to the Lions.
Right here’s what was mentioned about Reddick:
Bucs OLB Haason Reddick – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
If Reddick didn’t have a messy contract dispute with the Jets, he in all probability would have been thought-about the highest free-agent edge rusher over Josh Sweat. Reddick and Sweat have been a stable duo in two seasons with the Eagles, but it surely wouldn’t be a stretch to say Reddick was the higher participant of the 2.
Sure, Reddick turns 31 in September and is three years older than Sweat, however their manufacturing stage may very well be the identical in 2025 and the Buccaneers didn’t have to pay Reddick $41 million in assured cash, because the Arizona Cardinals did with Sweat. Reddick partly struggled in his lone season with the Jets as a result of he missed all of coaching camp and didn’t make his season debut till Week 8 due to the contract disagreement.
One more reason to love this deal: Reddick is now working with coach Todd Bowles, a defensive guru who is aware of learn how to manufacture strain towards quarterbacks.
Whereas on the NFL annual assembly in West Palm Seashore, we lastly have been in a position to hear from the Bucs’ brass with normal supervisor Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles with their response to the Reddick deal for the primary time.
Licht spoke initially on Monday.
“[We’re] actually excited to have him,” Licht mentioned. “He’s a extremely distinctive participant. He’s obtained so much to show; he’s very hungry. I actually loved the conversations we’ve had since we signed him. He’s going to play to attempt to get one other chunk on the apple, which I like. He’s actually excited to assist the younger guys. He’s talked about that – being a frontrunner and all these issues. In order that’s all the time going to assist.”
Bucs OLB Haason Reddick – Photograph by: USA Right this moment
Then Bowles spoke on Tuesday.
“I knew him as a participant. He got here to Arizona after I left,” Bowles mentioned. “He obtained there the 12 months after I left, I’m fairly certain. [Run Game Coordinator/Outside Linebackers Coach Larry] Foote had so much to do with him, and we talked about it fairly a bit. I knew he was a heck of a go rusher. We would have liked a go rusher. We knew he began midway by means of the season, so I might think about final season a wash for him. We anticipate him to be his outdated self with us.
“He can do a variety of issues, however extra importantly, he can rush the passer. If we’ve obtained guys that may rush the passer, we allow them to rush the passer. Like I mentioned final 12 months, we have to rush higher with 4. I feel he brings a terrific addition to assist us rush with 4, so we will cowl extra and do these sorts of issues. We’ll nonetheless strain some, however hopefully it received’t be as a lot as final 12 months as a result of we needed to as an alternative of how we need to. I feel he brings that to the desk for us.”
Bucs Rival Has Worst Worth Signing
Saints DE Chase Younger – Photograph by: USA Right this moment
The Bucs didn’t have anybody listed within the worst worth class, although a rival of their division did. It was the Saints and their signing of edge rusher Chase Younger for 3 years and $51 million, which isn’t seen effectively.
New Orleans is already in a tough monetary scenario, and this didn’t make it significantly better. That is what was mentioned concerning the transfer:
Younger has overcome his sturdiness points, however the Saints overpaid for a participant who solely lined up for 63% of the defensive snaps final season. Younger went from being a dominant No. 1 edge rusher—earlier than the accidents—to a dependable rotational participant in apparent passing down conditions.
The Saints had no enterprise committing long run to Younger, figuring out all their wage cap obstacles. The higher route would have been to let Chase stroll in free company and draft an edge rusher to play subsequent to Carl Granderson.
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