Last year was a pretty decent one for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but not everything went according to plan. Pass rush was a major area of weakness, even with the team finished 11th among other teams. That’s more middle-of-the-pack than it felt, and a Todd Bowles defense should always have a higher ranking than that off the edge.
To help fix that the Bucs linked up with someone who had an objectively worse year. Haason Reddick began his first and only season with the New York Jets by holding out for a new contract, something that held him back from reaching the heights we saw him hit in years past.
Reddick had 11 or more sacks from 2020 to 2023, which is what the Bucs are investing in by signing him to a $14 million free agent contract. It’s a fresh start for all involved, but the past hasn’t been totally forgotten, something Reddick made clear in his first press conference with Tampa Bay.
Haason Reddick made his feelings about the Jets crystal clear
During his introductory press conference with the Buccaneers, Reddick seemed to take a not-so-subtle shot at the Jets and shot things went last season. To be fair, he didn’t seem to dwell on it and reiterated that he’s focused on helping the team he’s with now.
Still, it’s hard not to see this as a nice little parting shot at the Jets.
"Very bizarre. Very bizarre, weird. But as I said, last year is last year,” Reddick said. “The only thing on my mind is moving forward and looking toward the future. I'm looking forward to what I can bring the team here.”
We have to call it like it is and point out that while it’s might be vouyeristically satisfying to see Reddick box the ears of his old team, the Bucs were in this position last year. After Devin White left to sign a deal with the Eagles, he took similar shots at Tampa Bay — although they were a lot more petty than what Reddick said.
That’s where the comparison hopefully ends. White talked a big game but completely failed to back it up. He lasted less than a quarter of a season in Philly before mercifully latching onto the Texans where he was a total non-factor.
Reddick talked a big game last year by holding out, and while he didn’t exactly light things up when he returned it’s worth noting that the Jets were beyond a lost cause at that point.
Giving Reddick $14 million and guaranteeing almost all of it suggests the Bucs have a lot more confidence in what he can do versus how they felt about White. The gamble is that the down season last year was more about the Jets being an unmitigated dumpster fire and less about Reddick having lost a step.
That sack total over the previous four seasons before he landed with the Jets is what Tampa Bay is hoping they added to the defense. If that’s the case, there should be a significant uptick in production off the edge and a key missing piece will have been found.
If anything, the fact that Reddick is still peeved about the way things went in New York suggests the Bucs are getting a highly-motivated Reddick which is going to be a glorious thing to watch.
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