We’ll be breaking down all the major and minor moves for NFL Free Agency with grades and analysis. You can find the comprehensive list of moves and grades here.
Reported deal: One year/$6 million guaranteed, up to $8 million
Haason Reddick could have been a buyer beware free agent signing after a one-year breakout of sack production. After 7.5 sacks over his first three seasons, Reddick had 12.5 sacks in 2020, five of which came against the New York Giants in Week 13.
But as a number of pass rushers flew off the board in the early tampering window, Reddick wasn’t a name announced with a big deal. Now with just a one-year deal, there’s not a lot of downside to taking a flier in the hope his pass rushing ability can continue.
Earlier in Reddick’s career, he was moved around in an attempt to make him an athletic off-ball linebacker, but he played his best as an EDGE in college and that’s the role he played more often in 2020, when he rushed the passer on a career-high 73.1% of his pass snaps, per Sports Info Solutions.
Haason Reddick Rush Rates, 2017-2020
| Year | Rush % | Pressure % |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 68.1% | 10.7% |
| 2018 | 21.4% | 17.9% |
| 2019 | 26.6% | 19.6% |
| 2020 | 73.1% | 12.6% |
Reddick’s pass rush production wasn’t just that one game against the Giants, though. He was 30th among edge rushers in pressure rate with a nearly identical rate to Romeo Okwara, who signed a multi-year deal to return to the Lions and higher than Yannick Ngakoue in 2020.
With the Panthers, Reddick will be reunited with Matt Rhule, who should know Reddick’s best role in the defense. The duo of Reddick and Brian Burns on the edge makes for exciting possibilities with quickness off the line, even if it leaves a bit to be desired in the run game.
Grade: A-
