Haason Reddick, Eagles reportedly agree to terms on three-year contract

The Philadelphia Eagles are signing free agent edge rusher Haason Reddick to a three-year, $45 million contract worth $30 million guaranteed, according to a report from NFL insider Mike Garafolo. The deal is said to have a max value of $49.5 million.

Bleeding Green Nation previously identified Redick as a logical free agent target. Here’s what we wrote:

Reddick is a Camden, New Jersey native and he played college football at Temple. If he has interest in returning home, the Eagles could have interest in making that happen. A late bloomer, Reddick only had 7.5 sacks in his first three seasons before posting 23.5 over the last two. Reddick wouldn’t be a cheap add but the Eagles aren’t reluctant to invest in their pass rush.

Indeed, the Eagles were not shy about spending money on a big position of need. Reddick’s $15 million annual value ranks tied for 17th highest among all edge rushers.

The Eagles clearly needed to upgrade their ability to generate pressure after finishing 29th in sacks last year. The Eagles also only had Brandon Graham (aging and coming off injury), Josh Sweat (talented but inconsistent), and Tarron Jackson (2021 Day 3 pick) under contract with Derek Barnett and Ryan Kerrigan set to hit free agency. The Eagles signing Reddick further cements Barnett’s exit from Philly. Coincidentally, Reddick was selected one spot before Barnett by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Beginning his NFL career in the desert, there was once thought that Reddick was a bust. He started to become more productive, however, once the Cards moved him from playing off-ball linebacker to the defensive line. Reddick left Arizona to reunite with his former college coach, Matt Rhule, on the Carolina Panthers. It was there that he proved his 2020 season wasn’t just a one-year fluke.

It’ll be interesting to see exactly how Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon utilizes Reddick. Listed at 6-1, 235 pounds, he’s smaller for a traditional 4-3 defensive end. The Eagles are paying him for his pass rushing production but they could get creative in using him as a SAM linebacker at times.

The Eagles signing Reddick hardly precludes the team from adding a defensive end with one of their multiple first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. It allows them to not force a pick on the position but it’s hardly like the Reddick signing means they no longer need more pass rushing juice.

Assuming the Eagles didn’t sign him with a plan to overthink his role, this looks like a good deal for the Birds. It’s not a cheap price to pay but pass rushers come at a premium and Reddick is currently only 27 years old. He ranked tied for fifth among all edge rushers in Pro Football Focus’s pass rush productivity metric in 2020 and tied for 33rd in 2021.