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Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff WriterAug 27, 2024, 11:57 AM ET
- Rich Cimini is a staff writer who covers the New York Jets and the NFL at ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for over 30 years, joining ESPN in 2010. Rich also hosts the Flight Deck podcast. He previously was a beat writer for the New York Daily News and is a graduate of Syracuse University. You can follow him via Twitter @RichCimini.
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Holdout Haason Reddick has yet to participate in a practice or attend a meeting as a member of the New York Jets — that includes the offseason — but there’s still a path for him to play in the season opener, according to coach Robert Saleh.
“Yeah, depending on — I’m assuming he’s in phenomenal shape,” Saleh said Tuesday before practice. “Like I said, he’s a veteran. He knows what he needs to get ready. He’s had success in multiple buildings and multiple schemes with coaching staffs, and so he’s going to know what he needs to do to be ready for Week 1. So, he still has plenty of time.”
The Pro Bowl edge rusher, acquired in a March 29 trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, requested a trade Aug. 12. The Jets responded with a statement saying they aren’t going to trade him. Reddick, who skipped the offseason program and training camp, is being fined a mandatory $50,000 per day. His holdout has reached 36 days — a total of $1.8 million in training camp fines.
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Reddick hasn’t commented, but his personal coach posted a workout video Monday of him doing a pass-rush agility drill. Saleh said he hasn’t seen the video. He also said he hasn’t reached out to Reddick personally in an attempt to resolve the stalemate and he doesn’t plan to.
“I’ve just been focusing on the guys that have been here,” Saleh said.
The media were allowed in the locker room Tuesday for the first time, and Reddick does have a locker stall waiting for him.
Reddick, who turns 30 on Sept. 22, wants a new contract commensurate with the highest-paid edge rushers. He’s in the final year of a three-year, $45 million contract, due to make a non-guaranteed $14.25 million in base pay. The $15 million average ranks 20th among edge players, according to the Roster Management System.
He has record 50.5 sacks over the last four seasons, fourth-most in the league, making him the most accomplished edge rusher on the Jets’ roster. They open the season in 13 days against the San Francisco 49ers on “Monday Night Football.”
Reddick’s desire for a new contract was widely known in the offseason; it was the reason the Eagles decided to trade him for a 2026 conditional third-round pick. The Jets didn’t address his contract at the time of the trade; they were told that he’d play under his existing contract, sources said. Reddick’s camp reportedly disputes that and expected to continue negotiations after the Jets’ first offer was rejected.
On April 1, Reddick showed up to the facility for his physical and a virtual news conference. He hasn’t been back since.
