Grade the deal: Haason Reddick's holdout could hurt his reputation long-term

The final holdout of the 2024 NFL season has officially been resolved. Less than a week after hiring Drew Rosenhaus as his new agent, Haason Reddick has agreed to reworked contract with the New York Jets and is set to report to work tomorrow, ending a stalemate of almost three months that cost him millions of dollars in fines and a significant portion of his base salary.

The holdout didn't net Reddick a long-term deal, but The MMQB's Albert Breer is reporting that the new arrangement will pay Reddick the remainder of his original base salary with an opportunity to recoup the money he was fined via sack-based incentives. Reddick will also have a chance to earn even more money via incentives tied to awards, playing time and team-based incentives.

How much did Haason Reddick's holdout hurt his chances of a long-term deal?

It certainly appears as if Reddick's decision to hold out wasn't a wise one since no one was willing to trade for him while handing out a top of the market deal. The Jets were the only team eager to acquire Reddick's services with the understandings they'd consider a long-term agreement if he showed up to work and performed for them, so his decision to hold out ended up netting him just the chance to recoup fine money, while also showcasing the potential for a headache if he isn't satisfied with a deal he feels he is outperforming.

Perhaps the Jets' decision to trade defensive end John Franklin-Myers to Denver during the NFL Draft convinced Reddick he had the leverage to hold out, but New York's choice not to cave to his demands was apparently justified by the fact that Rosenhaus couldn't find a team willing to trade with the Jets for his services. All that's left for Reddick at this point is to show up and try his best to put up a big performance in the second half for the Jets. Doing so could drastically help his chances at getting that long-term deal in the offseason.

If Reddick is able to provide a ton of sacks and help the Jets reach the playoffs, he should still be able to cash in during the offseason in a sport that is desperate to find pass rushers. There is a chance that the lack of an offseason program could lead to a slow start for Reddick, which would force him into a one-year prove-it deal if he can't produce, a scenario that Reddick can only blame himself for causing.

Grade: C-, better late than never?