The Eagles have spent the majority of the offseason preparing to trade top pass rusher Haason Reddick.
Philadelphia even bought more time to look for a trade partner by postponing the deadline to pay Reddick’s $1 million roster bonus from March 15 to April 1.
According to The 33rd Team, a Super Bowl candidate and one of the Eagles’ main threats to reaching the Super Bowl for the second time in three seasons could be an excellent fit for Reddick.
“Reddick is in the final year of his three-year, $45 million deal,” Ian Valentino points out. “As a result, the Eagles can avoid guaranteeing him tens of millions of dollars for a guy turning 30 this fall. The Detroit Lions are just the best fit for Reddick. Detroit still has more than $25 million in cap space and has spent the second-lowest amount of cash in 2024.
“The Lions signed Marcus Davenport to a one-year, incentive-laden contract, but his presence will have little effect on Detroit’s thinking. Aidan Hutchinson requires a genuine star opposite him. Reddick, who has at least 11 sacks in each of the last four seasons, is an ideal running mate.
Valentino argues that the Lions might trade the No. 29 overall choice to the Eagles in exchange for Reddick.
Reddick and Hutchinson would undoubtedly be a powerful and disruptive pass-rushing tandem.
However, it is tough to imagine the Eagles selling such a competent player at a premium position to one of the teams they must currently beat in the NFC.
What Is Haason Reddick’s Trade Value?
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When it comes to trading Reddick, the Eagles find themselves in a difficult situation.
After adding Bryce Huff in free agency and restructuring Josh Sweat’s contract, Reddick appears to be the odd man out in a crowded pass-rushing room. Especially with Brandon Graham back and the Eagles seeking for snaps for Nolan Smith, their 2023 first-round pick.
Similarly, as one NFL executive recently told Heavy, Reddick’s contract could be an impediment.
“The thing is,” the executive told Heavy, referring to the Eagles’ ability to trade Reddick or Sweat. “Teams may wait to see whether they are cut and then sign them to better contracts. However, pass rushers command a premium, and both of those players are worth it.
Similarly, the fact that Redidck is scheduled to count $21.8 million against the cap in 2024 makes any transaction difficult.
However, if the Lions are actually committed to luring Reddick away and gaining a head start on any prospective free-agent market for Reddick, a second-round pick may help seal the deal.
Detroit would also need to sign Reddick to an extension or have the Eagles pick up a chunk of his remaining contract, as the Lions presently have only $21.9 million in cap room.
Eagles’ Offense Praise from Afar
The Eagles will play a new-look offense in 2024, after regressing drastically during the 2023 season and hiring Kellen Moore to replace fired offensive coordinator Brian Johnson.
Meanwhile, Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen, who called the Eagles’ plays during the team’s Super Bowl run in 2022, has high expectations for his former teammates.
“I think it’ll be great, Nick and Kellen,” Steichen told reporters during the NFL Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida. “Kellen has a sharp intellect, definitely. I think it will be a fantastic cooperation with those two.”
Philadelphia hopes to turn the tide in 2024, following a season in which the offense averaged just 25.5 points per game and finished seventh in overall offense.
