One of the most effective moves made last offseason was the Panthers signing Haason Reddick. After a highly productive year in Charlotte, however, it appears he will be on the open market for the second straight year.
As noted by NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe (on Twitter), Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer “anticipates” the pass rusher testing free agency. He signed a one-year, $8M deal with Carolina last March, ending a difficult four-year stint in Arizona and reuniting with Panthers head coach Matt Rhule.
For much of his time with the Cardinals, the former first-rounder was used as an off-ball linebacker. Only partway through the 2020 season did he step in for Chandler Jones as a pass rusher; he seized the opportunity, totalling 12.5 sacks and six forced fumbles. That earned him a contract with the Panthers to prove he could replicate his production.
That certainly ended up being the case. Reddick posted 68 tackles, including 12 for a loss, 11 sacks (which ranked tied for 11th in the NFL) and 18 quarterback hits in 16 games this season. The $8M pact turned into a steal in terms of value, though the Panthers know they could be in need of a similar deal with another edge-rusher soon.
In the event Reddick, 27, lands a lucrative new contract elsewhere, Fitterer said “they’ll be happy for him.“ While another deal in Carolina isn’t off the table, the team has other priorities, including in the secondary, where Donte Jackson and Stephon Gilmore are both pending free agents. Despite Sam Darnold being under contract, the Panthers are also likely to be involved in the quarterback market.
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