TAMPA — Call it playing with anticipation. Haason Reddick became one of the NFL’s best pass rushers by beating his opponents to the punch. And on Wednesday, he quickly provided an explanation for his absence during the Bucs’ offseason workouts.
“I’ll address it before y’all do — I know everybody was concerned about me not showing up at (organized team activities) but for me, I definitely made sure to stay in shape,“ Reddick said. ”I think I showed that to everybody out here.
“I don’t think it should’ve been a question, but (I) just had some things to button up on as I get ready to make this transition down here so that way, once I get here, I don’t have to worry about (anything) back there at home.”
Reddick, 30, came under scrutiny for a couple reasons. One, he held out after being traded to the Jets from the Eagles last season, missing training camp and seven regular-season games.
The result was a career-low one sack before becoming an unrestricted free agent.
Fresh in the minds of Bucs fans also was the no-show of edge rusher Randy Gregory after he signed a one-year deal with the team a year ago.
Since agreeing to a one-year, $14 million contract with the Bucs in March, Reddick had been working with trainer Kenny Williams at his Reds Camp in Philadelphia.
“I know how important it is to stay in shape during this time,” Reddick said.
It didn’t take Reddick long to give the Bucs a preview of his coming attractions. Playing with minimal contact and no pads, Reddick looked explosive in beating tackle Luke Goedeke and others off the snap on several occasions in practice the past two days.
![Haason Reddick (5) sprints down the field during mandatory minicamp at the AdventHealth Training Center on Wednesday.](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 620 413"/%3E)
Haason Reddick (5) sprints down the field during mandatory minicamp at the AdventHealth Training Center on Wednesday. [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]
Between plays. Reddick has served as a mentor to some of the Bucs young pass rushers such as Yaya Diaby and Chris Braswell, the second-round pick from Alabama a year ago.
“He’s been great the last two days talking to guys on the sideline about hand placement, length, what foot to use, when to go under, when not to go under,” head coach Todd Bowles said. “So he has a lot of leadership qualities as well and he’s been outstanding the last two days helping the younger guys.”
Braswell said he already has benefitted from Reddick’s coaching points.
“Actually, we just had a conversation yesterday in the film room and he was saying, ‘When you rush, you want to act like you’re in a phone booth fighting,’ ” Braswell said. “You know, you don’t want to separate too much from the guy. You want to remain close.”
Certainly, Reddick knows how to get to the quarterback. Before what became a lost year with the Jets, he had 50.5 sacks playing for the Cardinals, Panthers and Eagles from 2020-23.
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Reddick was asked how eager he was to “regain his reputation” as one of the league’s premier pass rushers.
“Regain my reputation as a premier pass rusher,” Reddick repeated. “Regain my rep, huh? Let’s just say, I am motivated but not for that type of stuff, right? Like, I don’t care what people think about me, to be honest. People can say whatever they want. That’s your opinion and you’re entitled to it. ...
“What you talk about, things like that, as long as I’m in a great place and a safe space and my mental is strong? That’s the only thing that I’m worried about.”
That’s not to say Reddick wouldn’t want a little revenge on his former teams. It just so happens the Bucs have all of them (Cardinals, Panthers, Eagles, Jets) on their schedule this season.
“I would be lying if I said that didn’t have a part in my decision-making,” Reddick said. “But at the end of the day, I’m just happy to be down here, back in a great state to play football. I’ve been on other teams. Had great times. Had bad times. Those things are behind me. I’m just worried about being at my best for the Bucs.”
Reddick said after only two days, he likes the energy the young players have brought to the defense. He says he hasn’t set any goals for the season except that he would like to reach double-digit sacks.
“Even before I got here, I knew they were just a couple pieces away,” Reddick said of the Bucs.
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