Known Quantity
March 17th, 2025
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
He was lost and now he’s found.
Haason Reddick’s “bizarre” season with the 2024 Jets is in his rear-view mirror. His eyes are now fixed dead ahead toward helping Tampa Bay resurrect a pass rush that was agonizingly erratic for Buc Nation last season.
Reddick is also about to discover that the distance between these two franchises is far greater than 1,100 miles.
The Glazers may not be the league’s best owners, but Woody Johnson, who purchased the Jets in 2000, is among the worst. The Jets have suffered through nine consecutive losing seasons and haven’t made the playoffs since 2010.
The Bucs need Reddick’s pass-rushing skills in the worst way and at the age of 30, Reddick is poised to give Tampa Bay his best. If he recaptures his old form, Reddick stands to cash in next year as a free agent.
He was drafted by the Cardinals in 2017, the final year for Bruce Arians on the Arizona sidelines before he switched to the broadcast booth. His first three years in the desert produced only 7.5 sacks as Arizona coaches inexplicably moved Reddick from the edge to inside linebacker.
“Haason Reddick is a great kid,” Arians said in between golf rounds. “He struggled to play against the run early in his career, but he figured it out. He’s a great pass rusher. I thought it was a great move by the Bucs. I think he can have a year like Shaq Barrett did when he first came to Tampa.”
Barrett registered 19.5 sacks for Tampa Bay in 2019, the year Arians and Todd Bowles arrived at One Buc Place. In 2022, Reddick posted 16 sacks for the Eagles during the regular season and 3.5 more takedowns in the playoffs. You don’t have to be a math major to figure out the total — 19.5 sacks.
When his peers chose the NFL’s top players a few months later, Reddick came in at No. 48.
“He’s kind of like a tweener guy, a little bit of a ‘backer and a little bit of a defensive end,” said Philadelphia’s former All-Pro center Jason Kelce. “But he’s 100 percent of a pass rusher. No matter what game we’re playing, Haason’s going to get his.”
The stage appears to be set for Reddick to prove his disastrous year in New York was one big mistake. After the Jets traded for him, he failed to report until late October due to a contract dispute. He hired Drew Rosenhaus as his new agent and signed with the Bucs quickly as a free agent last week.
“It’s really good for the Bucs,” Chris Simms said of the one-year deal that provides Reddick with $12 million in guaranteed money. “They need another guy on the edge and Haason Reddick has the ability to be a top-notch pass rusher. You’re across from YaYa Diaby and they’ve got Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey, so it’s going to be hard to double-team Reddick.”
Tampa Bay’s 4-man pass rush is now established … it’s Reddick, Vea, Kancey and Diaby, reading from left to right. If they stay healthy, that’s a formidable group, one that should allow Bowles the flexibility to blitz strategically, instead of out of necessity.
At times, Reddick has been compared to Von Miller as a dynamic pass rusher with a variety of moves to maneuver past offensive tackles.
“He’s one of those guys that remind me of a Von, just being able to put his body in different positions,” said Rachaad White.
Reddick arrives as far more of a known quantity than Barrett, who started only 15 games in four years with the Broncos before emerging as a Pro Bowl rusher in Tampa. Last season left a very bad taste in Reddick’s mouth and any suggestion that he’s past his prime is hard to swallow.
Would Bucs GM Jason Licht consider a hefty contract extension?
Is he Myles Garrett or T.J. Watt? That’s quite a stretch, but all the Bucs pine for is a return to the Haason Reddick who rolled up 50.5 sacks in a 4-year span before his nightmare season in the city that never sleeps.
If Reddick attains double-digit sacks, the Bucs will be open to giving him the long-term contract extension he craves. If Reddick disappoints, he’ll hit the free-agent market, seeking his fifth different team within a 6-year span.
Reddick isn’t here to drop into coverage in the flat. He’s not here to stuff the strong-side running game.
He’s here to hunt quarterbacks.
Coming off a forgettable season, Reddick is seeking to atone for some poor decisions that cost him playing time and millions of dollars.
It’s a fresh start, just in time for a Buccaneer franchise seeking a powerful finish.
Ira Kaufman Talks Bucs Drafting A Cornerback, Haason Reddick Introduction, Lavonte David 2026, Adds & Subtractions, Landing The Donut, And More
March 17th, 2025 at 10:27 am
As the mocks come more into focus there are a number of them starting to show Mike Green falling to the Bucs-Yeah.
March 17th, 2025 at 10:30 am
Im glad he is here. We are a great opportunity for him. Let’s make this happen.
Great one Sage!
Let’s Dominate!!!!
March 17th, 2025 at 10:50 am
Todd Bowles will have him dropping into coverage, guaranteed.
The defense is a quagmire and the general needs to be fragged.
How many seasons will we waste on a Swiss cheese defensive scheme?
March 17th, 2025 at 10:55 am
A five word paragraph. Brilliant. “He’s here to hunt quarterbacks”.
March 17th, 2025 at 11:12 am
BELIEVE IT WHEN I SEE IT
Hasson is a sack artist. Licht brought him in to rush the passer. Bowles is thinking the same but can he resist the urge to move him around?
Bowles dropped JPP into coverage. He only had 7 fingers.
March 17th, 2025 at 11:24 am
I loved the title and the article. He got over 50 sacks in 4 years, and he probably didn’t play all the snaps. It seems like he could teach Bowles a bit.
March 17th, 2025 at 11:25 am
I keep seeing “he’s playing this year for a multi year deal next season”.
The problem with that line of thinking is that Reddick will be 31 years old next year.
Just looking at recent Bucs history – we had 2 good to great edge rushers only a few years ago…..
JPP’s last “good” year was when he was 31 and Shaq Barrett’s last “good” year was when he was 30. After that – the #s for both players fell off a cliff.
Point being – even if Reddick leads the league in sacks this year – do you really want to lay a pile of guaranteed cash for years into the future at the feet of a 31 year defender? I certainly wouldn’t!
All Jason Licht has to do to remind himself that re-signing Reddick to a multi year deal after this season would be a very bad idea – is look at the payroll ledger for this year…. where he will see that the Bucs are paying $17.4M in dead cap $ for 32 year old Shaq Barrett – who hasn’t done much of anything for this franchise since his last “good” year in 2021….
March 17th, 2025 at 11:41 am
If the dude passes the Sage’s smell test it’s good enough for me. GO BUCS
March 17th, 2025 at 11:50 am
Eagles lost Super Bowl in 2023 to Chiefs with Reddick recording 1 tackle and 2 QB hits
Eagles traded him to Jets and signed B Huff to a big contract to replace him.
Huff had a disappointing season with Eagles this past year, yet Eagles won the Super Bowl without either of them (Huff was inactive for the game)
Hopefully it works out and Reddick honors his contract this year.
March 17th, 2025 at 12:09 pm
We finished #7 in the NFL in sacks!
Dropping people into coverage confuses QB’s.
Stop whining about it!!
Bowles has finished top 10 on sacks every year he has been year.
We didn’t finish top 10 in sacks since Bennett wasn’t resigned!
March 17th, 2025 at 12:11 pm
Bucdawg, i worry about that as well. I’m a late-comer to this organization, and so far, the defensive schemes have yet to impress. Let’s hope Bowles uses him the way Licht said: as a QB hunter
March 17th, 2025 at 1:26 pm
Alanbucsfan … Eagles could afford to lose Reddick and not have Huff do much because they have been constantly refreshing the front through the draft. Nolan Smith took that role for them this season.
We need to be looking to do the same. Draft Reddicks replacement in round 1 with Green or Ezeriraku. Eagles have lost some talent on the line, tough to keep a large talented rotation for long without constantly hammering the draft and early rounds at that.
For all that lament Lichts picks of JTS/Hall… the genius Howie Roseman hasn’t hit em all… don’t hear much outta Jordan Davis. He maybe takes a larger role with Williams and whoever else gone now but he’s been a 1st round rotational piece for them through.. 2? 3? Years.
March 17th, 2025 at 1:51 pm
How can you leave off the 5 sacks by Logan Hall, even if he got them in two games, it’s the when you get them that counts
March 17th, 2025 at 2:02 pm
I’m glad we got him…but he has a lot to prove after the past 2 years.
March 17th, 2025 at 2:11 pm
Pickgrin Says:
March 17th, 2025 at 11:25 am
Agreed. But, we’ll see how it goes. If he puts up 15 sacks, then we’ll just have to see what the market is. Every team will have the same concern, balancing 2025 production vs. expected age slowdown. Will the Bucs be the highest bidder? Unlikely, but if they can get somewhere in the right $$$ neighborhood to get him to stay in a system that works for him, with good teammates, then maybe he’d be smart enough to stay. At the same time, they may be comfortable letting him go if Diaby and Braswell have taken the next step, and maybe they draft another edge this year who shows a lot of promise and Reddick would be an expensive luxury going into 2026. I just see this as a no-lose situation and next year and beyond will take care of itself.
March 17th, 2025 at 2:28 pm
It is fully a no lose situation. I watched some of his highlights on YouTube and Reddick reminds me of a mini Simeon Rice. Blasting around the corner and is always looking to hit the ball out of the QB’s hand. If he’s anywhere near where he was 2 years ago, he will be better than JTS by far. Hall’s job isn’t to get to the quarterback though he’s gotten better at it this past year. I like the idea of drafting an edge rusher in the first couple pics of this draft to keep building depth. DT early as well And a cornerback in the first three pics would be nice but we have always had a lot of success drafting in the third and fourth rounds with CBs. Bowles and Licht make a good team when evaluating the secondary positions in most of our drafts. I feel like Hargreaves was maybe a lesson learned (for Licht at least) or maybe just a fluke?
March 17th, 2025 at 2:29 pm
The beauty of a 1 year deal like this is if Reddick does get 15 sacks in 2025 and the Bucs decide not to pay the $25-30M per multi year deal he will be demanding at that point – some other team WILL pay him big $. Which means the Bucs then get a 3rd round compensatory pick following that affordable 1 year rental….
Drafting another Edge in the 1st or 2nd round this year and developing the young talent we already have (Braswell) is the only way to make that work though….
March 17th, 2025 at 2:46 pm
He won’t drop into the flat. Bowles will have him drop into deep middle. The element of surprise is Todd’s genius.
March 17th, 2025 at 4:16 pm
The last line of the Jason Kelce quote is my favorite part of this signing. Reddick is indeed a known quantity from whom we can reasonably expect double digit sacks from the edge while also being an asset against the run. Done. Bowles won’t have to rely on his “guile,” as the Sage often refers to it, that is his methods of manufacturing sacks with the use of frequent, exotic blitz packages that leave the middle of the field wide open. The Bucs’ sack totals have always been acceptable under Bowles and his defenses are consistently stingy when it comes to giving up points as well but the total pass yards he is giving up and the soft, wide open middle that feeds opponents QB’s YPG and leaves the Bucs defense unable to make stops like they need to outside the red zone is a problem we have watched get worse and has fans foolishly calling for his head. This defense doesn’t just need more sacks to get to the Super Bowl. It needs to cut down on opponents time to throw. It needs better containment of mobile QBs and another ILB who can stay with the receivers who mirror those QBs when they leave the pocket and not get lost when they have to deal with multiple receivers in their zone. Teddy Buchanan from Cal is an ILB can do that as well as blitz and play the run. He is a former QB with excellent measurables who should be available in round 4 or 5 to step in as a rookie and patch that hole in the middle of Bowles’ third down defense. He is also a ballhawk- elite, decisive read and react skills in heavy traffic and hands that pulled in multiple one-hand INTs. Reddick is an excellent addition at a great price but he is only the first item on the list of ingredients this defense needs to pick up and get cooking to make this defense Super Bowl worthy. Besides closing the void in the middle the other long-standing and getting worse over the past few seasons issue is the glaring deficit in the INT department. Another ball hawking Cal Player, CB Nohl Williams could help in the INT department as well as be something else Bowles said he did not have last season which is a CB who can play press man. He should be there for the Bucs in the third round. I’m thrilled by the Reddick signing and his history with Foote- Licht and Co. can put a big fat check mark next to proven pass rusher but now it’s time to move on to addressing the other glaring holes on the roster that are hamstringing the defensive side of the ball.
March 17th, 2025 at 4:32 pm
teacherman … ‘Bowles has finished top 10 on sacks every year he has been year.’
While many won’t admit it, Todd Bowles adapts his defensive scheme to the quality of the players he has on the field. Example: Back in 2019-2021 he had Vea, Suh, JPP & Shaq (and others) manning his defense. He took full advantage of that level of talent, and ended up with the #5 & #8 ranked defense (Points Allowed) in our 2 best years (2020 & 2021).
In 2022 though we lost Suh & JPP (and brought in Hicks & JTS). Bowles’ defense only ranked #13 that year, but he used a much different philosophy. Our Run Defense (always near the top), fell to #15 ranking, but our Pass Defense (normally in the 20’s ranking), actually rose to #9. Interestingly our blitzes fell to only 250 in 2022 when they had been 542 in 2020 and 532 in 2021 … less than half. So with less blitzing our Pass Defense improved markedly. Hmmm.
March 17th, 2025 at 5:31 pm
Wonderful article as always
March 17th, 2025 at 8:08 pm
One good year and then he quit playing. And you guys are going all in on him. Weird.
March 18th, 2025 at 12:51 am
Defense rules
You are correct. I’m thinking the Bucs go corner in the first round unless Jihad or walker are available. Diaby was one of the leaders in pressures last season so if the Bucs get a lockdown corner that gives Diaby that extra second to turn a lot of those pressures into sacks I would love the Bucs to get the corner out of Michigan. One thing is for sure. Bucs should definitely get a day one starter in the first round and maybe even the second round.
What is your opinion on Hairston out of Kentucky? He is fast (4.2 IN THE 40)and played very well in the S.E.C..
March 18th, 2025 at 6:46 am
“Reddick is seeking to atone for some poor decisions that cost him playing time and millions of dollars.”
Good stuff Mr Sage but it all boils down to the sentence above. If he is still that guy we are gonna have some problems. Drew Rosenhaus does not help his cause. His reputation is questionable to say the least.
We currently have a great mix of team players I am told. We need to be concerned about our locker room with some players and I worry that Reddick may be one of those.
Go Bucs!