3 free agent edge rusher targets if Commanders trade Montez Sweat

1. Haason Reddick

Anyone else have a tremendous amount of respect for players who take a few years to figure out how to dominate in the NFL? Everyone moves at their own pace. Some players hit the ground running straight out of the gates, others need a few seasons under their belt and a large number don’t even pan out.

Haason Reddick falls right into the middle category, as he didn’t show his true potential until his fourth year with the Cardinals in 2020. Since then, the former No. 13 overall pick has solidified himself as a force to be reckoned with.

That breakout was only good enough to land Reddick a one-year deal worth $8 million with Carolina last offseason, but he’ll get paid handsomely this time around.

A former off-ball linebacker, Reddick’s 28 sacks over the last two campaigns rank fourth among edge rushers, per PFF.  During that span, he added eight forced fumbles, 34 QB hits, 27 tackles for loss and 100 pressures.

At 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, Reddick is smaller compared to the modern-day defensive end, but that hasn’t impeded his development. Why would it start now? On top of being a nuisance for quarterbacks, he’s solid at setting the edge against the run, so he could fill Sweat’s shoes in that regard, too.

If Reddick can be had for a deal worth $10 million annually (even if it’s just one year), Washington shouldn’t think twice about it.