Linebacker Haason Reddick’s first three seasons with the Cardinals were disappointing considering the team made him a first-round pick in 2017 and they opted not to pick up their option on his contract for 2021.
That decision set Reddick up for a contract year in 2020 and he made the most of it. He recorded 12.5 sacks and six forced fumbles while playing more of a pass rushing role than he played in earlier years.
During an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Reddick said there were a lot of “ups and downs” over the last four years and that he learned a lot about the football business as a result. The education left him feeling that the “priority is the fit” with a team when he signs a contract this offseason.
“I want my number to be called,” Reddick said. “I want to be one of the guys that’s called on to make plays. I want the fit and the feeling to be right. I want a mutual understanding between me and the coaching staff about what’s expected, what’s to be done, and the effort I’m going to give. As long as I can find that, whether it be here with the Cardinals -- I do believe we have that here. If it’s not here with the Cardinals and it’s somewhere else and I have to go to a different team, it’s all about being the correct fit, being the correct system and being somewhere I can still thrive, flourish and continue to grow as a player.”
Shaq Barrett, Matthew Judon, Yannick Ngakoue, Carl Lawson, Bud Dupree, Trey Hendrickson, and Leonard Floyd are some of the other edge rushers set to hit the market next month, so teams will have several options as they look for the kind of fit that Reddick is searching for this offseason.