Jason Licht Defends Haason Reddick
April 1st, 2025
Confidence.
Apparently, football fans don’t like players trying to max out their values.
Take the case of newly signed Bucs edge rusher Haason Reddick. Last year, when the Eagles were dangling him as tradebait, Joe nearly had a stroke from beating Joe’s keyboard with an endless string of missives saying the Bucs absolutely needed to get this guy if they had any plans on making a postseason run.
They didn’t — and they didn’t.
Not quite a year later, well, what do you know? The Bucs signed Reddick as a free agent. How about that?
Last year, Joe seemed to anger some Bucs fans who weirdly didn’t want a guy coming off a four-season, scorched-earth run with 50.5 sacks to get market value. Meanwhile, the Bucs were so desperate for a sack they brought Shaq Barrett out of mothballs.
Joe guesses the reason why some fans were triggered by Joe’s desire to get Reddick was that Reddick held out. He didn’t want to be traded (to the Jets) and when he was, he didn’t want to play for a trash organization like the Jets.
Joe couldn’t blame him.
Yesterday at the NFL owners meetings at the swanky Breakers in Palm Beach, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht was asked if he was turned off at all or hesitant becaue Reddick didn’t seem all-in mentally with the Jets.
Licht said he was not.
(Column intermission: Joe last night admired that at the owners’ party, Gracie Hunt, Sean McVay’s wife and Kay Adams mingled with the proletariat.)
“Not from a character standpoint,” Licht said. “Every situation is different, there’s a story behind everything.
“I think [2024 is] behind him, and in some ways, I was kind of excited. It gave us an opportunity to potentially get great value. I’m rooting for him to have a great year.”
Joe will leave out how Reddick was available last year but for reasons unclear, he wasn’t good enough then. But now? Pop the champagne bottles!
Seriously, Joe is so happy the Bucs have a dangerous edge rusher, Joe doesn’t know what to do with himself.
But even now, Joe sees commenters that still kill Reddick for holding out with the Jets and having a bad season.
Joe would like to remind these folks of a couple of things: Derrick Brooks and Tristan Wirfs also held out for more money. Are these two Bucs icons all of a sudden dirtbags because they looked out for themselves and got what they felt they deserved?
April 1st, 2025 at 6:38 am
I could not be any less interested in how much these guys make. It means absolute nothing to me. So when I see guys talking about a dudes salary it comes across as almost creepy. Why are some dudes so interested in how much money other dudes make. And yes it goes well beyond salary cap implications. It is straight up weird..What’s next a critique one what color bath towels a guy uses.
April 1st, 2025 at 6:39 am
Didn’t Wirf’s hold out during training camp but was in 1 Buc Place facilities the whole time? Not a great analogy Joe.
April 1st, 2025 at 6:45 am
I’m hopeful for Reddick. What ever happened with the Jets does not matter to me. Any player or coach that ends up with the Jets is in a bad spot. It’s been that way for decades. I think Reddick wants to win the big one. That was not going to happen with the Jets. I’m glad he is here and I’m hoping big for him. He is in a way better place. The Jets is the perfect team for fans that like to play musical chairs with their coaches and QBs and other valuable assets. The Browns are a similar organization. Great places to get good talent cheap.
April 1st, 2025 at 7:00 am
The hold out, the “attitude” the lack of production will all be forgotten the second Reddick gets multiple sacks in a game wearing Bucs gear.
April 1st, 2025 at 7:25 am
Hassan Reddick is a quitter. Not only did he quit on the Jets but he also quit on the eagles as his 2.5 sacks in his last 8 Philly games clearly shows. Comparing him to Brooks and Wirfs is incomprehensible.You love him…good for you Joe but don’t denigrate the ones of us who don’t.
April 1st, 2025 at 7:47 am
I agree with all of your points, Joe.
I disagree with your larger picture take on some aspects of the situation.
We all remember you pounding your keyboard senseless about the need for an edge rush last year, and that the Bucs should have jumped at the chance to snag Hassan.
Kudos to you for doing that.
I personally am thrilled that we went out and signed him.
But, I’m reserving judgment until I see what he actually does on the field.
Quite literally, Hassan is in a position to write and dictate his future.
If he balls out this year, the Bucs will have no problem offering him something better than the one-year prove-it deal he just signed. (See Baker Mayfield)
Other teams will also line up with offers.
What happens is up to Hassan.
Yes, some folks here are still throwing him under the bus. A dose of skepticism about why he left Philly and held out against the Jets is understandable.
There’s also credible reports that he has at times, been a bit of a problem in the locker room.
Hassan can change all of that with how he plays this year.
Regarding Tristan… Tristan made it clear he wanted to stay with the team and it was just a matter of working out a solution that was good for everyone involved.
Tristan was also on the practice field every day during negotiations.
Hassan didn’t do those things.
Again, I’m thrilled we signed Hassan, and thank you Joe, for relentlessly pounding the keyboards about Hassan and the need for an edge rush.
But, I still think the skepticism some of us have is valid.
April 1st, 2025 at 7:50 am
We’re all gonna love him this season. There was alot behind the scenes with the trade and the jets etc. He is gonna be just fine and he’s playing with coaches and players he likes and respects.
April 1st, 2025 at 8:02 am
I didn’t realize that Reddick actually said or implied that he did not want to play for Jet’s.
I did a search for that and only found that Reddick was holding out from both the Eagles and Jets for the same reason — he wanted a new contract.
Thanks Joe for the guess” “and when he was (traded), he didn’t want to play for a trash organization like the Jets.”
Just seems to be an unsupported narrative from you.
Two things can be true.
1. The Jets are a trash organization.
2. Reddick would not have minded playing for that trash organization if they gave him the new contract.
April 1st, 2025 at 8:05 am
My opinion is he was a good sign for the money. I hope he balls out and gets double digit sacks like everybody else. I think we have a pretty strong locker room I don’t think he will do anything to disrupt that, he’s no Antonio Brown for instance. Brown didn’t affect our locker room because Brady was there keeping things steady. We have Mike, Lavonte, Tristan, Chris & Antoine to keep our focus. If Reddick shows he still has it at his age, fans will come around if he proves to be a team player and has no off the field issues. Still a good risk IMO. I’m a glass half full guy and hope for the best outcome.
April 1st, 2025 at 8:37 am
If he was white nobody would care that he held out lol
April 1st, 2025 at 8:42 am
He was cheaper than most proven edge rushers thats the bottom line. Everything else is just talk.
April 1st, 2025 at 10:34 am
Thinking Reddick is finding his perfect fit with the Bucs. The Jets were a complete mess last season. They got rid of Saleh. Huge error. He will also do well with the 49ers again.
April 1st, 2025 at 11:14 am
The issue we had with J03 pumping Reddick was that J03 wanted us to surrender a draft pick. That’s a huge risk for a guy who appeared to be a malcontent. So now, there is no risk. This situation suits us. He’s got to be motivated and play team ball, or he’ll be out on his ass. No draft picks given up. All upside.
What makes J03 think Reddick’s performance last year would have been any different if we traded for him than it was with the Jets?
If you’re giving up draft picks for a player, you’re a fool if you’re doing it blindly without really knowing that player’s state of mind.
April 1st, 2025 at 11:38 am
The problem with Reddick is 2 fold. 1st…Very concerned that the team management might feel the same as Joe and a lot of posters here that we’ve hit pay dirt with a stud edge rusher and move on to the next need. That’s not a given with what transpired last season and if he goes belly up we would be right where we were last year. 2nd thought is he balls out of his mind to start the season and then decides to hit the brakes for more cash like he did to Philly in 2023. We don’t need to take our eyes off the prize edge rusher should still be a super priority in the draft regardless of Joes man love for Reddick.
April 1st, 2025 at 12:49 pm
Don’t think for a minute Bucs don’t have an eye on this guy. They have more intel on the way things went down from a lot of different sources plus as has been mentioned we didn’t give up picks for him. Licht has also stressed that he is still looking for rushers if they’re there.
April 1st, 2025 at 1:42 pm
In addition Licht has signaled that we are open to drafting another edge rusher this year. He said he would be looking at best player available (inferred:almost any position).