It wasn't among their most obvious problems this past season, but the Las Vegas Raiders, again, lacked a viable pass rusher opposite Maxx Crosby. If trade speculation around the five-time Pro Bowler leads to him being moved, then edge rusher will ascend the long list of offseason needs.
Even if Crosby sticks around, the Raiders need to find him some help on the defensive front. Malcolm Koonce is a looming free agent and could be brought back, but there's no such thing as having too much defensive line talent.
The Seattle Seahawks, where new head coach Klint Kubiak is coming from, are one of the latest examples of that. With the Super Bowl week surge in trade speculation around Crosby in mind, Justin Melo of Raiders Wire offered up three free agent edge rushers the Silver and Black could target.
Raiders can easily avoid a faded edge rusher in free agency
The first potential target on Melo's list, Boye Mafe, taps into Kubiak's Seahawks tie and looks like a nice fit. The second, Jaelan Phillips, is in line to have plenty of suitors, though the Raiders have plenty of cap space to sweeten the deal. The third option stretches things to the bottom of the barrel.
"If the Raiders prefer a seasoned asset, the aging Haason Reddick would represent a short-term solution," Melo wrote. "He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past season, Spytek's former team, meaning the Raiders GM should have some intel. Reddick hasn't been very productive lately, so Spytek would have to pair him with a high draft pick."
Raiders general manager John Spytek, having just been in Tampa Bay in 2024, presumably still knows a lot of people in the building with the Buccaneers. So, perhaps he has access to some behind-the-scenes intel that other general managers won't be able to get.
Reddick also spent a few years with the Philadelphia Eagles, where current Las Vegas executives like Anthony Patch and Brandon Hunt got a firsthand look at him. The Raiders, if they entertained a Reddick signing, wouldn't be making an uninformed move.
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What is undeniably obvious about Reddick, however, is his lack of production since the Eagles traded him to the New York Jets in 2024. In search of a new contract, Reddick held out after the trade, then he requested a trade in August. Ultimately, he did not suit up for the Jets until October.
After registering one sack over 10 games for the Jets in 2024, Reddick signed a one-year, $14 million deal with the Buccaneers last offseason. In 13 games for them this past season, he had just 2.5 sacks, as he played through some injuries.
Reddick was one of the most productive pass rushers in the league over a four-year stretch from 2020 to 2023. He also played for three different teams over that stretch, which clearly stands out as a red flag to an NFL front office.
Now moving toward his age-32 season, those days as a premium pass rusher seem to be over. If he's not getting after the quarterback at a high level, with his entire career as evidence, his value is close to nil.
Even at his depressed market value, which may scream "buy low," and with the idea that he'll be motivated as his career sits on the ropes, there are better options than Reddick if the Raiders look to the bargain bin for an edge rusher.
If anything, the intel Spytek could get from his former team and his fellow executives may scratch Reddick from the list of options entirely.