Bucs Announce Bold Prediction For 'Freak' Haason Reddick

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are talking big and are talking boldly about a star who essentially disappeared from the scene a year ago.

Is Haason Reddick really back?

With Tampa in desperate need of some pass rush help, the acquisition of Reddick has gone under the radar due to his last season with New York Jets as he held out of all of training camp and even missed regular season games.

It can be hard to remember that Reddick was one of the best pass rushers in football just over 12 months ago, but for general manager Jason Licht, who was speaking on 95.3 WDAE, he knows what he's getting.

"He’s such a freak athlete, and he really knows how to get after the quarterback," Licht said. "54 sacks in four years, just one year removed from that string that he had where he was an elite guy. We had talked several times internally that if he hits free agency, this guy might be something that’s worth betting on because he is going to be very hungry to prove to everybody that he is still the same player that he was before last year."

A “freak” who is “hungry.”?

That works.

Reddick was one of the Philadelphia Eagles' best defenders before moving to the Jets via trade, and then - when his anticipated contract extension didn't come - he became a holdout and then a non-factor.

Now coming to Tampa with a chip on his shoulder, Reddick will look to re-establish himself as a defensive force for coach Todd Bowles' unit.

"I knew him as a player," Bowles said. "I knew he was a heck of a pass rusher. We needed a pass rusher, and we knew he started halfway through the season, so I would consider last season a wash for him, and we expect him to be his old self with us."

Reddick had double-digit sacks for four straight years from 2020 to 2023, and that has the coach fired up about being able to get to the QB by rushing just four guys.

"He can rush the passer," Bowles said.

With Reddick joining Calijah Kancey, Vita Vea, Lavonte David, and Logan Hall, the Buccaneers, who were seventh in sacks last season (46.0), now get some serious juice from a player who has a point to prove.

A "wash'' for a "freak athlete"? That's what Reddick can be for the Bucs.