Haason Reddick reportedly spurned NY Jets, changed mind about contract

NY Jets head coach Robert Saleh publicly told reporters last week that the team expected star pass rusher Haason Reddick to be in attendance for mandatory minicamp this week. But Reddick was nowhere to be seen at the Jets' facility upon the start of minicamp on Tuesday.

Saleh spoke to the media and confirmed the obvious that Reddick was not in attendance at minicamp, although he did insist that the team has had contact with the former All-Pro. So, what changed?

SNY's Connor Hughes shed some light on the situation on Tuesday, reporting that the Jets and Reddick "were believed to be on the same page" prior to the offseason trade that sent the multi-time Pro Bowler to New York.

Hughes is reporting that both sides understood there would be no contract extension prior to the start of the regular season and that the two sides would revisit talks after the season was over. Evidently, plans changed.

Haason Reddick apparently changed his mind about NY Jets contract talks

According to Hughes, Reddick reportedly told members of the Jets organization "that he'd be in attendance for the offseason program [and] minicamp." Obviously, that's not the case.

Reddick was notably absent for OTAs and all voluntary events this spring. He did not show up for mandatory media day on Monday and doesn't seem likely to attend minicamp this week. This situation is now an official holdout.

Saleh did tell reporters on Tuesday that the team expects Reddick to be in attendance for training camp next month, but it's hard to take that at face value at this point. The Jets have no idea when Reddick will show up at this point.

Reddick is entering the final year of a three-year, $45 million contract he signed with the Eagles in 2022. He's owed $15 million in 2024, but there's notably no guaranteed money left on the deal.

Not only does Reddick want to be paid as one of the highest-paid edge rushers in the NFL, but he also wants some sort of financial security. In fact, it's odd Reddick would agree to enter the year with no guarantees on his contract, as Hughes alluded to.

This isn't necessarily a situation that should cause widespread panic at the moment, but it is certainly notable that the Jets were surprised by Reddick's actions. Something very clearly changed in his plans, and that's absolutely worth monitoring as we approach the summer.

The Jets could dig their heels in and refuse to engage in extension talks with Reddick, but they run the risk of making things very ugly with their prized offseason addition. They don't need a distraction like that in a playoffs-or-bust season where everyone's jobs are on the line.

How far is Reddick willing to take this? Will the Jets cave? Those are the questions that will be answered over the coming weeks.

For now, the Jets certainly don't seem happy about this development. Reddick seems to have simply changed his mind.