Haason Reddick’s holdout helped Jets acquire Davante Adams?

Oct 20, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (17) takes the field for warms up for a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

The New York Jets had to play without Haason Reddick for the first seven games of the season, but it turns out the star pass-rusher’s absence helped them land another star player.

Reddick finally ended his holdout last week when he agreed to a new contract with the Jets. The new 1-year deal will pay Reddick a maximum of $10 million, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media. That is less than the roughly $14 million Reddick was initially set to earn in the final year of his contract this season.

Rapoport also noted on Sunday that the Jets used money they saved from Reddick being fined to absorb Davante Adams’ contract when they acquired the star wide receiver in a trade with the New York Jets last week. The Jets absorbed the remaining $11.6 million on Adams’ contract for this season and then agreed to a restructure, which lessened the 31-year-old’s salary cap hit for 2024.

The Jets traded a conditional third-round draft pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for Reddick during the offseason. Reddick was said to have assured the Jets he would not demand a new deal. Rapoport was told New York offered Reddick a contract before the start of the season that would have paid the 30-year-old up to $20 million, but Reddick turned it down.

In reality, the Jets probably would have found a way to make the money work with Adams no matter what. Reddick’s holdout may have just made the math easier.