Haason Reddick wound up playing in the Super Bowl the last time he was part of an offseason influx of new talent to a team.
Reddick stopped short of saying that history could repeat with the Jets in 2024, but the two-time Pro Bowl edge rusher made it clear Monday that he has big expectations after his trade from the Eagles became official and he joined free-agent prizes Tyron Smith and Mike Williams.
“I don’t think anybody is ready for what’s about to happen,” Reddick said. “It’s going to be exciting, it’s going to be entertaining. It should’ve already been that way when you look at the defense.”
Reddick, 29, and the Browns’ Myles Garrett are the only players in the NFL with active streaks of four straight seasons of at least 11 sacks (50.5 total).
“I know the juice I’m going to bring,” Reddick said. “Hopefully it rubs off on the guys. Hopefully their energy does the same for me. I looked at the roster — that was one of the first things that I did when I saw the trade — and I can pretty much guarantee it’s going to be some great ball being played.”
The Eagles also added receiver A.J. Brown, linebacker Kyzir White and cornerback James Bradberry during their transformative 2022 offseason.
Two years later, they considered Reddick expendable for a 2026 conditional third-round draft pick after signing Bryce Huff away from the Jets on a three-year, $51 million free-agent contract.
If Reddick plays 67.5 percent of defensive snaps — accomplished in four straight seasons because of his remarkable durability (one career game missed) — the pick will increase to a second-rounder.
“I believe I have a lot left in the tank. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here,” Reddick “When I don’t have any more left to give, I’ll retire. Until that point, I’m going to continue to try and play my best ball. As far as the Eagles, it wasn’t about what [I have] left in the tank or anything like that. It’s a business, and sometimes hard decisions have to be made even if you don’t like them.”
Jets general manager Joe Douglas sought a replacement for Huff to add to bona fide pass-rushers John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson and Quinnen Williams.
“The fact that we have a bunch of young dawgs, we’re going to make it all easier for each other,” Reddick said. “The attack-attack-attack style, I’m all for. I’m all about constantly putting QBs under duress. With the group that we have, we should be able to do that really often.”
The Jets owe $14.5 million in salary and bonuses to Reddick in the final year of his contract — a relative bargain given his production and the exploding pass-rusher market.
Is an extension under consideration or is this another one-year stop for the former first-round draft pick on his fourth team in five years?
“All options are open,” Reddick said. “Right now, I’m just worried about being here, meeting everybody. Contractual stuff, I’m leaving that up to my agent and Joe to figure out. But whatever happens, I’m going to be happy. I’m going to give my all no matter what because that’s just who I am as a person. No matter how it goes, how many years I’m going to be here, I’m going to give the team and the fans everything that I have.”
Reddick recalled his reaction last offseason — when the Eagles were the defending NFC champions — to the Jets trading for Aaron Rodgers.
“As an opposing player at the time, I saw that and I’m like, ‘That could be a problem,’ ” Reddick said. “This year they bring in Mike Williams, bring in Tyron Smith. What we have the opportunity to do, if we can all come in building that chemistry and get on that same page and become a completely bonded team by the time the season starts, I think we can go really, really far.”
The South Jersey native coincidentally was in New York City on Friday when the trade was agreed upon.
“It’s a new beginning,” Reddick said. “A new chapter for me.”