The New York Jets have permitted disgruntled pass rusher Haason Reddick to seek a trade, according to multiple reports. The news arrived on the same day that the Jets finally completed a trade for superstar wide receiver Davante Adams. Reddick could be shipped out to recoup some of the draft capital parted with in the Adams deal.
Reddick was acquired by the Jets in April but decided to continue an ongoing holdout due to a contract dispute. Reddick recently parted ways with his agency and has appointed Drew Rosenhaus as his new representative. With a fresh negotiator in the fold, Rosenhaus has received permission to seek out a trade partner.
The NFL trade deadline is approximately three weeks away (Nov. 5). With discussions heating up, we've identified three potential landing spots for Reddick.
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions lost superstar defensive end Aidan Hutchinson to a gruesome season-ending lower leg injury in Sunday's victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Hutchinson led the league in sacks (7.5) and pressures (45) at the time of injury. The Super Bowl-contending Lions will have an incredibly difficult time replacing that production.
General manager Brad Holmes lacks the required depth to absorb Hutchinson's loss. The Lions did add a pass rusher off the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad (Isaiah Thomas), but that's obviously not going to solve their problems. Holmes currently possesses $28 million against the cap and is scheduled to have $77 million in financial flexibility next offseason as well. The Lions could use Reddick's production immediately, and they could also afford to talk about a short-term extension with him.
Cincinnati Bengals
I'm not convinced the 2-4 Cincinnati Bengals are prepared to punt their season. Their latest victory over the New York Giants kept their campaign alive. One of the more disappointing aspects of Lou Anarumo's lackluster defense has been a borderline-invisible pass rush that's recorded the third-lowest amount of sacks (8.0) across the entire league. Trey Hendrickson has received zero help from young rushers like Myles Murphy and Joseph Ossai.
The Bengals have posted a pass-rush-win-rate (PRWR) of 42%, according to ESPN Stats & Info. That's a below-average 18th-best in the league through Week 6. The Bengals have been saving money for the inevitable Ja'Marr Chase extension, and they're scheduled to have $50 million in effective cap space next offseason, per Over The Cap. They don't appear prepared to re-sign Tee Higgins, so perhaps there's enough leftover money to keep Reddick happy.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers are struggling to consistently apply pressure on opposing quarterbacks despite rostering Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa. Those two usual workhorses have combined for just 4.5 sacks in five games. Even with all these veterans on the defense, they've posted a collective pass-rush-win-rate (PRWR) of 31%, the fourth-worst in the league.
Jim Harbaugh realizes he has to pressure Patrick Mahomes if he's to contend with the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West. The Chargers are a hopeful 3-2, currently in second place in the division and a wild-card spot. With Reddick’s trade value at an all-time low, the Chargers should consider kicking the tires.
