Jets All-Pro Haason Reddick holding out of mandatory minicamp: Explaining star pass rusher’s continued absence

Aaron Rodgers unjustified absence made headlines at the start of the New York Jets’ mandatory minicamp this week. But he wasn’t the only big name to not show up for the final round of spring training. The Jets were also without pass rusher Haason Reddick, a former Philadelphia Eagles star who also missed this year’s voluntary workouts.

Why has Reddick, a seemingly prized trade acquisition, avoided the Jets despite appearing to embrace a return to his home state earlier this offseason? Did New York realize the Pro Bowler would hold out for minicamp when it sent a conditional third-round draft pick to the Eagles for his services in April?

Here’s everything you need to know:

Why is Reddick absent?

This one is simple: it all comes down to money. The Eagles committed a lot of money to Reddick when they first signed him in 2022, but two years later, Reddick’s deal registered as a bargain, marking No. 17 among edge rushers in terms of average annual value ($15 million). Reddick’s father, Raymond Matthew, told ESPN after the April trade, his son “outperformed his contract” and “just wanted market value.”

The problem? Reddick hasn’t received that yet. The Eagles probably wouldn’t have moved Reddick, whose 27 sacks in two years helped fuel two playoff runs, if they hadn’t been far apart in potential contract negotiations. But Reddick likely welcomed the move to New York with the hope and/or expectation that the Jets would do what the Eagles didn’t. And Jets general manager Joe Douglas may have pulled the trigger on the deal thinking Reddick would “let it go in time.” by ESPNor settle for a more lenient salary adjustment.

Reddick politely avoided commenting on his contract while still wearing Jets gear at community appearances. By missing a reported $250,000 workout bonus by skipping organized volunteer team activities and risking another $50,000 loss by forgoing mandatory minicamp, however, he is making it clear with his actions that he is currently not interested in a small restructuring. Why risk an injury before training camp, he might be thinking, if the Jets haven’t already substantially increased his salary or guarantees before his Gang Green debut?

What is the next?

Reddick sporting Jets gear in public suggests the pass rusher isn’t trying to force New York into yet another change. He has also been very open about his community ties, relishing the opportunity to play in his home state of New Jersey. But he also has little reason to budge on his contractual position, at least at this point: The Jets, after all, gave up a notable draft pick to acquire him in April, and then traded fellow edge rusher John Franklin-Myers for the Denver Broncos. After also losing Bryce Huff to the Eagles in free agency, the team is openly reliant on Reddick as a key component of their vaunted defense.

Due to $14.25 million unguaranteed in the final year of his existing deal, Reddick could very well settle for a more guaranteed structure, if not a substantial increase in 2024 earnings. smoother journey until free agency in 2025, where he could cash in on an even more lucrative deal. Either way, the responsibility appears to fall more on the Jets brass, with training camp being the next artificial deadline for either side to concede.