Former Second-Team All-Pro Haason Reddick had a wildly polarizing one-year run with the New York Jets, initiating a lengthy holdout that lasted until October. He then proceeded to scuffle on the field, surely eliciting feelings of regret and nausea among the team and fan base. Needless to say, the veteran outside linebacker entered free agency with a ton of baggage. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had little problem piling it onto their cart, however.
The four-time defending NFC South champions signed Reddick to a one-year, $14 million contract worth $12 million guaranteed. They clearly believe a proper practice schedule will see the former first-round draft pick revert to his previously impactful form, which enabled him to post a co-league-leading five forced fumbles with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022-23 and record double-digit sack totals in four consecutive seasons. Fans have been sweating a bit, though.
Reddick did not attend the second phase of organized team activities, which, despite being voluntary, offers new acquisitions a valuable opportunity to build rapport with the locker room and coaching staff. Fortunately, that concern may be irrelevant based on the latest development. The 30-year-old is in the building, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Mandatory minicamp is set to begin on Tuesday.
The Buccaneers are counting on Haason Reddick to deliver
The true exhaling cannot commence until Reddick takes the practice field, but this is obviously encouraging news. Furthermore, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles does not seem too worried about his participation. One can understand why someone seeking a multi-year contract next offseason would exercise caution and sit out of OTAs, but it is hard to foresee him making another costly risk by skipping obligatory minicamp.
Tampa Bay is trusting that the Haason Reddick experiment will pay dividends during the 2025-26 campaign, partly because it desperately needs a weapon that can limit opposing aerial attacks. If the two-time Pro Bowler can pressure quarterbacks at or fairly close to the rate he did with the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers and Eagles, life should be easier for a Bucs secondary that allowed the fourth-most passing yards in the NFL last season (243.9).
Franchise and player need each other in this situation. The union will be put to the test, hopefully starting this week.
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