New York Jets: Hassan Reddick sticks to his strike

The New York Jets have been no stranger to expensive signings in recent years. They have signed a number of players, including future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers and left tackle Tyron Smith. Most of these additions have been offensive linemen, but this offseason the Jets were able to trade Haason Reddick, a two-time Pro Bowler and an edge rusher with four double-digit sacks.

Since then, Reddick has essentially only been part of the team in theory, as he has stayed away from team activities and has not visited team facilities at all. While others have finished in the days leading up to Opening Day, Reddick's absence has continued.

New York Jets fans were mostly hoping that Reddick would get tired of the mounting fines and show up on opening day. The New York Jets themselves have largely insisted that they would only negotiate if he showed up. However, Reddick has so far refused, resulting in a stalemate.

Furthermore, a recent report from Diana Russini of The Athletic seems to indicate that Reddick will not change his demands or come without a new contract, at least not in the near future. Specifically, Russini wrote:

All summer, it's been a game between Haason Reddick and the Jets. Reddick wants a new contract, while the Jets said, “Come on over and we'll talk.” Reddick has even asked for a trade, but the Jets say that's not going to happen.

Although I'm told there have been discussions between player agency and the team, it's considered unlikely that the team will be able to use Reddick on Monday night against the 49ers, and it's unclear whether he'll show up afterward. Last week, Reddick drove through rush hour traffic from his home in Camden, NJ, to Jersey City to attend a charity event 35 minutes from the Jets' facility. He didn't make a detour to Florham Park.

I'm told that Reddick operates with the “mindset that he's going to die with this sword.”

At this point, it's almost certain that the New York Jets will begin the season without Reddick, and according to Russini's report, they could be without him for quite some time.