Brian Gutekunst will likely maintain an active presence in the market for defensive line help as the second wave of free agency unfolds and draft day nears. The Green Bay Packers have signed Javon Hargrave. Still, they should add an edge rusher like Haason Reddick, who would further strengthen the rotation and provide insurance on the outside, especially considering that Micah Parsons will likely begin the season on the PUP list.
Reddick played under Jonathan Gannon with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022. That year, he recorded 16 sacks — a career high — along with five forced fumbles, also the best mark of his career, as part of a historic Eagles defense that reached Super Bowl LVII.
Reddick has built his career around elite speed and explosiveness off the edge. He consistently won with quickness and an effective outside speed rush that allows him to threaten offensive tackles around the corner — something the Packers lacked on the outside once they lost Micah Parsons for the year.
From 2020 through 2023, he recorded 50.5 sacks, the fourth-highest total in the NFL during that span. Durability has also been one of his strengths. He had missed just one game due to injury before 2025. Even early in the 2025 season, Reddick continued to show his disruptive ability, posting a 15.3% pressure rate over the first six weeks before suffering an injury against the Detroit Lions that sidelined him until Week 13.
However, the former All-Pro has struggled to maintain momentum since leaving Philadelphia. He has recorded just 3.5 sacks over the past two seasons with the New York Jets and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Still, Green Bay would not necessarily need Reddick to return to his peak form as a dominant pass rusher. That role belongs to Micah Parsons. Instead, Green Bay would simply need Reddick to provide reliable snaps and complementary production off the edge.
For Reddick, the situation could also be an opportunity to reset his value around the league. A one-year “prove-it” deal could allow him to reestablish his value. If he does, the Packers would likely sign him to a multi-year contract, making the move a win-win for both sides.
Also consider that the Green Bay Packers would realistically be willing to commit to their edge group. Parsons is making $46.5 million per year. Meanwhile, Lukas Van Ness could make about $13.7 million if Gutekunst and the front office decide to exercise his fifth-year option.
Green Bay is also carrying roughly $11 million in dead cap following the trade that sent Rashan Gary to the Dallas Cowboys. In other words, the financial constraints are already part of the equation, with one of the largest contracts in the NFL going to Parsons and a potential fifth-year option for Van Ness that would pay him roughly $13.7 million.
That figure would place him among the 32 highest-paid edge defenders in the league and, technically, in starter-level salary territory. That becomes even more significant considering Van Ness is entering Year 4 and has still had trouble consistently cracking the starting lineup.
A possible Haason Reddick deal wouldn’t necessarily be expensive. According to Spotrac, he’s projected to land a one-year contract worth around $4.9 million. Even so, the question still is how much more money the Packers would realistically be willing to commit to their edge group, especially when other positions — such as cornerback, defensive line, and interior defensive line — should arguably sit higher on the team’s list of needs heading into the remainder of the offseason.
