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Latest On Cardinals, Haason Reddick

March 1st, 2021 at 3:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cardinals’ newly formed Chandler Jones–J.J. Watt pass-rushing duo doubles as one of the most accomplished in modern NFL history, though assembling this tandem may leave the team’s breakout pass rusher in search of a new home.

Haason Reddick was hopeful he could stay with the Cardinals, despite his rocky tenure prior that led to the team declining the linebacker’s fifth-year option. And the Cards, prior to their Watt signing, expressed interest in bringing Reddick back, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter).

Pre-Watt, the Cardinals were carrying more than $11MM in cap space. While the team does have a rookie quarterback contract around which to build, it will certainly be a more difficult task to re-sign Reddick now. The Cards also expressed interest in keeping Patrick Peterson. A scenario in which Peterson and Reddick return now appears extremely unlikely. And cornerback will be a much greater Arizona need entering free agency.

Of course, Steve Keim‘s splashy Watt transaction points to the franchise’s interest in contending for a Super Bowl now. Reddick returning would certainly strengthen that prospect, after his 12.5-sack season, and Watt’s extensive experience as an interior pass rusher would seemingly leave a fit for the former first-round pick on the edge opposite Jones.

Markus Golden could serve as a cheaper option for the Cards to retain. He did not draw much interest after his 10-sack season with the 2019 Giants and expressed a desire to stay in Arizona this year. Golden did not record a sack in nine games back with the Cardinals last year but did post 14 QB hits — just two shy of Reddick’s total last season.

Haason Reddick Wants To Stay With Cards

February 17th, 2021 at 3:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

After bouncing between positions for three different coaching staffs in Arizona, Haason Reddick broke through as a pass rusher in his contract year. Now, the former first-round pick is on track to be a sought-after free agent.

Reddick recorded 12.5 sacks, after the Cards turned to him as an edge rusher following Chandler Jones‘ injury, and profiles as an intriguing free agent target. Despite the Cardinals not picking up his fifth-year option and having benched him in the past, Reddick is open to re-signing to stay in Arizona.

“I don’t really know all the ins and outs of what’s to happen as far as negotiations and what I’m able to do but hopefully I’ll get to stay here,” Reddick said, via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. “I would like to stay here, but we’ll see what happens when the time comes.”

Slotted at multiple off-ball linebacker positions in the past, Reddick moved to the edge — his college role — full time in 2019 and became a starter at that spot after Jones went down with a biceps tear last season. The Cardinals, however, have Jones under contract for 2021 and signed Devon Kennard as an edge player last year. Arizona has Reddick and Markus Golden due for free agency next month. Golden, who would be a cheaper alternative to Reddick at this point, would like to stay with the team that drafted him.

Reddick profiles as an interesting franchise tag candidate, given his lack of production until last season. The Steelers and Buccaneers slapped tags on contract-year edge producers Bud Dupree and Shaquil Barrett last year. The linebacker tag is expected to come in around $14.6MM, which is down from the 2020 tag price. Jones going into a contract year, after having thrived since signing a deal worth just $16.5MM annually, complicates a potential Reddick return.

The Cardinals have until March 9 to determine if they will tag Reddick and have exclusive negotiating rights with him until the legal tampering period begins March 15.

Trade Candidate: Cardinals LB Haason Reddick

May 20th, 2020 at 1:23pm CST by Zachary Links

In early May, the Cardinals declined the fifth-year option on Haason Reddick‘s contract. The linebacker isn’t on their books for 2021, he’s not a big part of their plans for 2020, and he’s almost certainly on the trade block. 

A few years ago, scouts saw Reddick as a versatile prospect with the ability to play multiple spots on the front seven. But, so far, he hasn’t been consistent as an edge rusher or an inside linebacker. Last fall, they gave him a shot to start at ILB. After five weeks, they turned the job over to Joe Walker. Walker left this offseason, but the Cardinals drafted Isaiah Simmons (another versatile, jack-of-all-trades type) and added De’Vondre Campbell and Devon Kennard to the mix, leaving Reddick without a clear role.

After three years, three head coaches, and 7.5 cumulative sacks, Reddick is left with zero job security in Arizona. Last year, he finished out with just six tackles for loss and one sack and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ lowest ranked linebacker out of 63 qualified players. His stock has cooled considerably, but other teams should be willing to take a small gamble on him and his remaining $2.3MM in salary.

The Panthers would be one logical destination for him. New Carolina head coach Matt Rhule coached Reddick at Temple and saw him at his absolute best. Reddick worked his way up across four years on campus and closed out his collegiate career in 2016 with 9.5 sacks as a senior. Thanks in part to Reddick’s performance, Rhule scored new job and bigger bucks with Baylor. The Giants would also make some sense – they’ve yet to re-sign edge rusher Markus Golden and GM Dave Gettleman was supposedly high on Reddick in his draft year.

Reddick has been here before. In 2018, he was rumored to be on the block before the trade deadline, though GM Steve Keim denied shopping him. This time around, we’d wager that Keim is willing to listen.

Cardinals To Decline Haason Reddick’s Option

May 4th, 2020 at 8:17am CST by Zachary Links

Haason Reddick‘s fifth-year option will be turned down by the Cardinals, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter). With that, the former first-round linebacker is on course for free agency after the 2020 season. 

Reddick came into the league with considerable buzz. Teams were enamored with his athleticism and versatility; scouts saw a player with the potential to star at inside linebacker or dominate on the edge, depending on the need. Unfortunately, Reddick was never able to get his footing in either area. All of the different coaching and scheme changes didn’t help matters either.

The former No. 13 overall pick has perfect attendance over the past three years, but still has just 7.5 sacks to his credit. He was bumped from the starting lineup midway through last year and saw his playing time dwindle as the year drew to a close. Even though the Cardinals took their time on this one, few expected Reddick to have his 2021 season guaranteed for injury.

Reddick will play out his final year with $2.3MM in salary and a $4.3MM cap hit. This could be an opportunity for him to cash in as a free agent, but that’ll only be possible if he gets enough snaps.

Looking ahead, the Cardinals are set to replace him with a younger and even more versatile player in Isaiah Simmons. The Clemson product and combine darling may have the ability to feature as both an edge rusher and a safety.

As shown in PFR’s fifth-year option tracker, Colts safety Malik Hooker is the only player still in limbo.

Extra Points: Kalil, Cardinals, Giants, Bucs

August 3rd, 2019 at 9:12pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Ryan Kalil‘s decision to come out of retirement and sign with the Jets was a shock to everybody around the league, but it wasn’t that sudden for him. The center decided that last season would be his last after battling injuries, but by March he was already feeling the itch to play football again, he told Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. He started lifting weights then, and was working out fully by May, so he won’t be coming in completely cold. His weight had dropped all the way down to 260 pounds, but he’s already back up to 297.

Cimini also reports that the Jets reached out to Kalil before camp even started, so it sounds like this comeback has been in the works for a little while. Kalil has often been one of the league’s better centers, and his presence will be a huge boost to New York’s offensive line and Sam Darnold’s development. He hasn’t been slacking off during his time away from the game, so it sounds like Kalil will easily be ready to man the pivot for the Jets come Week 1.

Here’s more from around the league on Hall of Fame induction night.

  • Things haven’t gone too smoothly for Cardinals linebacker Haason Reddick during his first couple of years in the league. The 13th overall pick of the 2017 draft has had his position changed multiple times, and is in his third defensive system in three years. He also apparently hasn’t been fully healthy, as he recently underwent “minor surgery,” according to Mike Jurecki of the team’s official site (Twitter link). We don’t have many details on the injury, but Reddick said he’d be ready for the opener. There were rumors last year that Reddick was on the trade block, and we’ve heard recently 2019 will be a pivotal year in determining his future with the team. The Temple product has been moved back to inside linebacker for this season.
  • The Giants conducted a minor workout, bringing in cornerback DeJuan Neal for a visit, a source told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Neal is an undrafted rookie from D-II school Shepherd University, and the fact that he hasn’t already latched on somewhere tells you all you need to know.
  • The Buccaneers added to their staff, hiring Dave Hamilton as director of performance science, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic (Twitter link). Hamilton had been working at Penn State, and Auman notes that he’ll be “helping team’s focus on innovation in optimal preparation/health for their players.”

NFC West Notes: Rams, Woods, Fowler

June 3rd, 2019 at 11:35am CST by Zachary Links

The Rams are facing a potential cap crunch, as Vinny Bonsignore and Rich Hammond of The Athletic write. An eventual extension for quarterback Jared Goff will cost the Rams upwards of $25MM per year, meaning that tough decisions could on the way.

Edge rusher Dante Fowler, who re-signed with L.A. on a one-year deal, could very well play his way out of town in 2019. Wide receiver Robert Woods, who is slated for a $9.1MM cap hit in 2021, could be pushed out in advance to create breathing room for Brandon Cooks, who will count for $16.8MM against the cap. Cornerback Marcus Peters might not be long for the Rams either – the club can cuff him with the franchise tag for 2020, but his cost may be prohibitive beyond that point.

From a financial perspective, Andrew Whitworth‘s expected retirement after the 2019 season should help matters. When/if the 37-year-old hangs ’em up, that’ll take $10.7MM off of the books.

Here’s more from the NFC West:

Cardinals Not Shopping Haason Reddick?

October 16th, 2018 at 12:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Contrary to some reports, the Cardinals are not shopping linebacker Haason Reddick, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). The club is shopping linebacker/safety Deone Bucannon, however, which is consistent with what we’ve heard in recent weeks. 

[RELATED: Cardinals GM Downplays Trade Rumors]

The Cardinals drafted the former Temple standout with the 13th overall pick in the 2017 draft in the hopes that his explosive athleticism would serve him well as a pass rusher and as a run stopper. So far, his development has not gone as planned, but the Cardinals are not ready to give up on him just yet. The 24-year-old recently regained his spot in the starting lineup and has two sacks in the last three weeks, so he seems to be trending in the right direction.

The Cardinals fell to 1-5 after Sunday’s 27-17 loss to the Vikings. While Reddick apparently won’t be on the table, you can expect GM Steve Keim to pitch rival clubs on Bucannon and others as the Cardinals look to build for the future.

Cardinals GM Downplays Trade Rumors

October 12th, 2018 at 10:34am CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals are reportedly shopping Deone Bucannon and Haason Reddick, but GM Steve Keim is doing his best to throw cold water on the hot stove talk. In a radio interview on Friday, Keim issued a general denial towards trade speculation regarding his team. 

“One part of my job is to have dialogue with other teams,” Keim said said on 98.7, Arizona’s Sports Station (via the team website). “The one thing I won’t do, I won’t confirm or deny those things in public, I think you do those things behind the scenes. But it’s a lot of gossip, people enjoy it, it’s water-cooler talk, and a lot of stuff you’ll read is certainly false. Wednesday I woke up to three different names that were brought to my attention and those conversations never happened. So I would just say, for most fans, tread lightly, because very rarely are those accurate.”

It would make plenty of sense for the Cardinals to explore the trade market between now and Oct. 30. With a 1-4 record, the Cards are the current odds-on favorite to wind up with the worst record in the draft. The defense is in the bottom third of the league in both yards allowed and scoring, and the offense has failed to properly utilize one of the league’s most talented offensive weapons in David Johnson, so this would be the logical time for a reboot.

Keim knows this, and that’s why he is looking to preserve team morale without explicitly ruling out any deal.

“Some of the names brought up to me will do nothing but bring a chuckle out of me,” Keim said. “You have to listen. You never know what the compensation is going to be. It might be something you couldn’t resist. You look back at the Heschel Walker trade with Dallas, you can never say never. … Sometimes, there’s a lot of procrastination, where you’ll call and there are a lot of conversations that go nowhere, unfortunately. But it’s part of the business and a fun one for fans to follow.”

Haason Reddick, Deone Bucannon On The Trade Block?

October 7th, 2018 at 10:36am CST by Rory Parks

The Cardinals drafted former Temple standout Haason Reddick with the 13th overall pick in the 2017 draft in the hopes that his explosive athleticism would serve him well as a pass rusher and as a run stopper. But Reddick’s development has not gone as planned, as he has played just 30 defensive snaps in the first four weeks of the 2018 season and has struggled to grasp new head coach Steve Wilks‘ defense.

Reddick lost his job as the team’s starting strong side linebacker to veteran journeyman Gerald Hodges, and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says that there does not appear to be any change in that regard moving forward. As such, La Canfora writes that other teams are considering a possible trade for Reddick, whose potential is still quite high. While it does not sound as though the Cardinals are actively shopping Reddick, La Canfora says they are generally “willing listeners,” so they may be fielding a lot of calls as we get closer to the October 30 trade deadline.

Another former first-round pick, Deone Bucannon, enjoyed plenty of success during his four-year run with the Cardinals from 2014-17. But like Reddick, Bucannon is not being utilized very much in Wilks’ scheme, which is not a great fit for his smaller body type and his hybrid safety/linebacker skills. Bucannon is eligible for free agency this offseason, and he would probably welcome a trade to a team that can make better use of his skill-set during this pivotal year in his career. Indeed, La Canfora says Bucannon will generate a lot of trade interest as well in the next few weeks.

The 0-4 Cardinals will not be competing for a playoff spot this year, and if they are committed to Wilks in the long-term, it may make sense for them to move Reddick and Bucannon in exchange for draft capital that they can use in their rebuild.

West Notes: Seahawks, Reddick, Chiefs

October 5th, 2017 at 7:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite failing to live up to his first-round status with the Eagles, Marcus Smith said he generated considerable interest during his brief stay in free agency. Prior to signing with the Seahawks in late July, Smith said he had offers from the Packers, Chiefs and Colts, via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. However, this Seahawks regime being interested in the then-Louisville product during the 2014 draft — with Condotta noting the team traded out of the first round after he went off the board to Philly at pick No. 26 — and former college assistant Clint Hurtt now Seattle’s defensive line coach made it a better fit than those other teams would have, Smith said.

Condotta adds Smith will now serve as the Seahawks’ first end off the bench now that Frank Clark will take the injured Cliff Avril‘s place in the starting lineup. Smith finished with 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble in his new team’s Sunday-night win over the Colts.

Here’s more out of the Pacific Northwest and other West locales in advance of Week 5.

  • Despite being hospitalized for what was viewed at the time as a scary injury, Rees Odhiambo may return to action without missing a game. Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable expects his starting left tackle to play on Sunday against the Rams, Condotta tweets. Odhiambo was hospitalized for what was called a chest contusion (or bruised heart) Sunday night. He’s the second Seattle left tackle starter to suffer a serious injury, joining George Fant (ACL tear) in that regard. But this serious-sounding setback may not force the Seahawks to make another change on their starting O-line.
  • One of the Cardinals‘ fallout solutions for replacing Markus Golden, lost for the season with a torn ACL, will be to experiment with first-round pick Haason Reddick at outside linebacker. Defensive coordinator James Bettcher said (via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com) there are packages set to be unveiled Sunday featuring Reddick as an outside linebacker. Bettcher wouldn’t confirm if Reddick is being moved outside full-time, but Weinfuss notes these packages with the rookie on the edge will be part of the solution to replacing Golden. Reddick started Arizona’s first three games at inside linebacker but went to the bench after Deone Bucannon reclaimed his job in Week 4. Bucannon and veteran Karlos Dansby are the Cards’ starting inside ‘backers, and with the team not considering a Dwight Freeney reunion, it’s possible they’re looking at this outside-the-box solution seriously.
  • The Chiefs have added interesting wrinkles to their unorthodox offense this season, and while this misidirection-based scheme resulted in some zany college-style plays and has helped the team to 4-0, it’s also probably led Alex Smith being on the injury report with an ankle issue. While Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes the fifth-year Chiefs starting quarterback is expected to start Sunday against the Texans, past experience — i.e. playing well prior to a 2012 injury costing him his job once Colin Kaepernick emerged — should accelerate Smith’s drive to stay on the field. That said, the polish gap between Smith and Mahomes is likely considerable at this point. A permanent switch in 2017 — one Kansas City’s brass ruled out before the season — would be considerably different than Tom Savage losing his job to Deshaun Watson, especially considering how well Smith is playing thus far.
  • The Seahawks worked out guards Willie Beavers and Cole Toner, along with tackle D.J. Tialavea, Howard Balzer of SportsOnEarth tweets. The Bengals cut Toner from their practice squad late last month. Beavers has been on the workout circuit since the Patriots cut him from theirs in early September.
  • Holding an apparent defensive backs-only audition, the Raiders worked out several secondary cogs this week. Cornerback Brian Dixon, Demetrius McCray and Deji Olatoye participated. As did ex-Giants safety Mykkele Thompson, per Balzer (on Twitter). Dixon is the biggest name of this contingent, having spent three seasons with the Saints.
  • Linebacker Josh Keyes visited both the Chargers and Colts this week, Balzer tweets. These are the first known workouts for Keyes since the Falcons cut him prior to the season.
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