Jets, Haason Reddick standoff continues; 'fair' to say edge rusher won't be in San Francisco
Haason Reddick during a game between the Eagles and Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on Oct. 9, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. Credit: Getty Images
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Robert Saleh and the Jets spent most of this summer, and then most of this week, hoping Haason Reddick would end his holdout and return in time to play in the regular-season opener. On Saturday, that possibility appeared to come to an end. With the edge rusher still AWOL and the team departing for San Francisco on Sunday, Saleh finally acknowledged that it is “fair” to say Reddick will not be available to face the 49ers on Monday night.
The standoff between Reddick and the Jets has existed since shortly after he was acquired in a trade with the Eagles in April. Late last month, Reddick requested a trade. Besides the more than $5 million in NFL-mandated fines that he already has accumulated for skipping minicamp and training camp, Reddick now will miss out on a game check worth close to $800,000. He’ll forfeit that $800,000 for each regular-season game until he returns.
Reddick remains on the team’s reserve/did not report list as he has been since July 25. The two-time Pro Bowler is seeking an extension from the Jets, and while they may be willing to do that at some point, they remain adamant that they will not negotiate any deal until Reddick reports to the team.
All of that could change drastically after Monday’s game, of course. If the players the Jets use to replace Reddick against the 49ers play well — a group that includes Will McDonald IV, Micheal Clemons and Takk McKinley — Reddick’s leverage could diminish. If they fail, Reddick’s price tag could skyrocket.
Saleh called the “financial stuff” between the Jets and Reddick “none of my business.”
“Everyone goes through their own process,” Saleh said. “I’ll stand firm that when he gets here, we’re going to welcome him with open arms, we’re going to love him up, and he is going to be a part of this football team and help us win a lot of football games.”
Just not, apparently, this first one.
The Jets players who will play the 49ers remain supportive of Reddick even as his holdout threatens to impact the regular season. “Him not being here is not going to cost us a game,” defensive captain C.J. Mosley told Newsday. “We’re just going to ride with what we’ve had this whole offseason up to now. Nothing is going to change our mindset. He’s not here, so there is not much you can do about it.”
Sauce Gardner said he doesn’t know the exact issues between Reddick and the Jets, but he did express bewilderment that many other offseason contract disputes — including those with this week’s opponent — have been resolved in one way or another while this one lingers.
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and left tackle Trent Williams signed extensions with the 49ers and practiced with their team this past week after missing most of training camp.
“We’d love to have [Reddick] because we know how good of a player he is,” the cornerback told Newsday. “The Niners, obviously, they had people holding out. They ain’t holding out no more. They’re playing now.”
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
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