Joe Douglas just found a way to fleece the Jets again with this infamous trade

Joe Douglas didn’t waste much time finding a new home. Just months after being fired by the New York Jets following nearly six turbulent seasons as general manager, Douglas officially landed a new job with his old team, the Philadelphia Eagles, in a "senior scouting role" on Monday.

But in a wild twist of irony, one of his final (and worst) moves with the Jets could now end up benefiting him directly.

Back in April 2024, Douglas traded a conditional 2026 third-round pick to the Eagles in exchange for Pro Bowl pass rusher Haason Reddick. The Jets were desperate to boost their pass-rush corps at the time, but the deal quickly turned into a full-blown disaster.

Reddick staged one of the most bizarre holdouts in recent memory, refused to report to the team, was fined millions, and then returned midseason only to notch half a sack in 10 games before walking in free agency.

Now, Douglas finds himself back in Philadelphia, preparing to help oversee the 2026 NFL Draft, the very one where the Eagles will cash in on that pick from the Jets. It’s a move that may have helped end his run in New York, but in a twist of fate, Douglas will still get to benefit from it anyway.

Joe Douglas somehow reaping the rewards of the Jets' disastrous Haason Reddick trade

The Reddick trade was a disaster from the jump. Reddick never even showed up to voluntary workouts, as reports indicated he was seeking a new long-term contract. What followed was one of the strangest and most self-sabotaging holdouts in recent memory.

Reddick skipped mandatory minicamp, all of training camp, and the start of the regular season, racking up more than $12 million in fines in the process.

His agency eventually dropped him altogether, and when he finally returned midseason following a restructured one-year deal, he looked nothing like the player the Jets traded for.

In 10 games, Reddick recorded just 0.5 sacks and was consistently invisible on game days. He was statistically one of the least productive qualified edge rushers in the NFL upon his return.

Many around the league believed the trade was the final nail in Douglas’ coffin. He was let go later that season amid another disappointing year for the Jets, and now, he’s quietly returned to the organization he left to take the Jets job in the first place.

The irony? He’ll likely play a part in helping the Eagles select the very player that pick becomes. He's essentially received a second life from the same deal that might have sealed his fate in New York.

It’s almost conspiratorial how this has all played out. A trade that helped lead to Douglas’ firing in New York now stands to benefit him in Philadelphia, as he rejoins the very front office that orchestrated the deal on the other end.

In the end, the Haason Reddick trade might’ve been Joe Douglas’ biggest mistake, and somehow, he’s still going to come out ahead.

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