Bears Blockbuster Trade Pitch Lands $45 Million Edge Rusher at Major Value

Getty General manager Ryan Poles of the Chicago Bears.

The Chicago Bears defense looked nothing but awesome against the Tennessee Titans in its regular season debut, but the unit might have to be that good week in and week out if injuries continue plaguing an offense that is progressing slowly.

In that context, Chicago remains a top landing spot for edge rusher Haason Reddick, who continues his holdout with the New York Jets in the absence of a long-term contract extension beyond the three-year, $45 million deal on which he is currently playing — or technically not playing, as it were.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported on Wednesday, September 11, the likelihood is now that the Jets deal Reddick ahead of the November 5 trade deadline.

“Their options appear clear: keep him on the reserve list until he reports or attempt to trade him closer to the trade deadline,” Fowler wrote. “The latter is looking more likely, according to multiple league execs.”

The Bears went down to the wire in trade talks with the New England Patriots for pass rusher Matthew Judon, who ultimately landed with the Atlanta Falcons for a third-round pick. Chicago since added Darrell Taylor via a trade with the Seattle Seahawks at the cost of a sixth-round selection.

Taylor produced 8 tackles and 2 sacks against the Titans working opposite Pro Bowl defensive end Montez Sweat. That performance bodes incredibly well and makes the trade appear already a big win for Chicago.

That said, pass rusher is a premium position in the NFL and Taylor is under contract for just this year before he hits unrestricted free agency next March. Thus, if the Bears can find a reasonable trade price for Reddick, it’s an opportunity on which they might be eager to pounce — and execs told Fowler the value looks to be there.

Haason Reddick’s Trade Value Dropping as Holdout With Jets Persists

GettyFormer Philadelphia Eagles pass rusher Haason Reddick.

New York traded a conditional third-round pick, which can become a second-round pick under the right circumstances, to the Philadelphia Eagles for Reddick this offseason. Presumably, the team did so with the notion of signing the outside linebacker long-term, but that has not happened.

One executive told Fowler Wednesday that not only is it far less likely now that the Jets will cave and pay Reddick after his holdout, but added that the two-time consecutive Pro Bowler’s trade value has dipped below what New York gave up to acquire him.

“Not sure they have a choice,” an NFC executive told Fowler of the Jets needing to trade Reddick at this point. “They wouldn’t get similar value back [a third-rounder], but it would be hard [for the Jets] to pay him at this point, and he clearly doesn’t want to be there. Both sides badly mismanaged the situation.”

Bears Can Follow Montez Sweat Playbook to Trade for, Sign Haason Reddick

GettyLinebacker Haason Reddick, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles. 

The Bears weren’t willing to outbid the Falcons’ third-round offer for Judon, perhaps because they didn’t also want to pay him long-term. But Judon is two years older than Reddick and missed 13 games last season with a torn biceps.

Reddick, meanwhile, has missed only one game his entire career and has produced between 11-16 sacks in each of the previous four campaigns.

If Chicago can pick up the last half, or maybe the last two-thirds, of Reddick’s 2024 season for the price of a late Day 2 or early Day 3 draft pick and then extend him, that will solve their edge rushing problem for years to come.

The Bears dealt a second-rounder to the Washington Commanders for Sweat ahead of last year’s trade deadline and inked him to a four-yer contract extension soon after. It stands to reason that if the opportunity is there, general manager Ryan Poles might follow the same playbook to secure Reddick.