Haason Reddick now has more leverage than ever over the Jets

While the hype leading up to Aaron Rodgers’ first real game with the New York Jets didn’t reach the hysterics of last season, it still got pretty silly. Many people had them winning the AFC East, and several also penciled them in for the Super Bowl. Then the season began and the team did what it always seems to do when facing any sort of pressure: flop.

The loss can’t solely be put on the shoulders of Rodgers. For a rusty 40-year-old coming off a major injury, he was…fine. The same can’t be said about the defense, however. While there were many question marks about the Jets offense going into 2024, the defense was supposed to be their true strong point.

Even with a putrid offense in 2023, the Jets still managed to win seven games, mostly on the strength of their defense. They had the second-best passing defense in the NFL, only giving up an average of 168.3 yards in the air per game. They also ranked as the third-best defensive team overall, allowing an average of 292.3 total yards per contest.

But against San Francisco, the unit looked awful. Brock Purdy threw for 231 yards, and the 49ers racked up a whopping 401 total yards. After an initial three-and-out, the team proceeded to score on its next eight possessions, and the Niners did this without Christian McCaffery, arguably their best offensive player.

While 49ers fans were probably thrilled with the outcome, no one might have been more jubilant than Haason Reddick. The two-time Pro Bowl linebacker — whom the Jets acquired in the offseason is in the midst of a holdout — hasn’t so much as practiced with the team.

Pass rush was a clear problem for the Jets against San Francisco. While they did manage to sack Purdy three times, two of those were the result of scrambles. With Reddick in the lineup, they would immediately have someone who could put extra pressure on the quarterback. Over his last four seasons, Reddick recorded 50.5 sacks, and pairing him with Quinnen Williams would give the Jets a fearsome duo, which is surely what they imagined when they traded for him in April.

Reddick has already taken a huge financial hit with his holdout, with reports that he has lost more than $6 million. But, he could be counting on those losses being mitigated. Every time an opposing QB converts on a third down or tosses a touchdown while he’s sitting at home, his price tag may just keep going up.