5 Carolina Panthers players fighting for bumper new deals in 2021
By Dean Jones
Haason Reddick – Carolina Panthers DE/OLB
Getting Haason Reddick on a one-year deal could be a tremendous bit of business by the Carolina Panthers. The edge rusher enjoyed the finest season of his pro career by a considerable margin in 2020 and if reuniting with Matt Rhule brings more in the way of production, there is just no telling how good this defense can be.
Reddick secured 12.5 sacks for the Arizona Cardinals during a fantastic campaign last time out. However, there are some who suspect this might be a flash in the pan.
This is something that was clearly recognized by the Panthers. Giving Reddick a short-term agreement is a chance for the player to prove he is much more than a one-season wonder. If the pass-rusher can do this, then he’ll be expecting a large increase in salary next year.
In truth, there are far worse situations for Reddick to be in. He is already familiar with Phil Snow’s scheme and also has the benefit of stud defensive end Brian Burns coming off the opposite edge.
Couple this with two space-eating monsters in Derrick Brown and DaQuan Jones on the defensive line interior and everything is in position for Reddick to succeed.
If it doesn’t work out, then Carolina can move on with little in the way of financial worry. But what comes next will be down to whether Reddick can remain a force to be reckoned with more consistently.