Bleacher Report projects contract of potential Falcons trade target

The Falcons enter draft season with a couple of glaring roster needs on the defensive side of the ball.

When Arthur Blank gave Terry Fontenot the ability to give Kirk Cousins a four-year $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed, it signaled to the organization, its fan base, and the rest of the league that Atlanta’s window is officially open.

The Falcons need to bolster the pass rush and secondary but are otherwise in great shape ahead of the draft. A marquee pass rusher would make me feel a lot better, but with Jadeveon Clowney going to Atlanta’s division rival in the Carolina Panthers, there aren’t a ton of inspiring options on the free agent market.

The trade market is another thing, though. The most prominent name that comes up in conversations is Haason Reddick. The Eagles have been listening to trade offers on their star pass rusher, who is in the last year of a three-year deal he signed with Philadelphia.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN recently linked the Falcons to the Eagles’ veteran, and another report from Jake Rabadi has shed light on the asking price — at least a second-round pick. Rabadi also added that Reddick’s camp is said to be looking for a contract with an average annual value of $25 million.

But if you ask the fine folks over at Bleacher Report, a two-year $43 million deal should be good enough to lock him up.

Contract Projection: Two years, $43 million with $29 million guaranteed

Philadelphia Eagles pass-rusher Haason Reddick is entering the final year of his three-year, $45 million deal and could be on the move.

On Saturday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler suggested that the 29-year-old could be the “odd man out” after Philadelphia signed Bryce Huff and extended Josh Sweat.

“The expectation leaguewide is that he is moved at some point,” Fowler told SportsCenter (h/t Bleacher Report’s Adam Wells).

Fowler mentioned the Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons as potential landing spots, and both are logical.

Former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is now head coach in Arizona, and the Falcons are ready to win now after signing quarterback Kirk Cousins but could use pass-rushing help on the other side of the ball.

Reddick is set to earn a base salary of $14.3 million in 2024, so an extension that lowers his cap hit could follow him if traded, especially if he goes to a cap-strapped team like Atlanta.

The Falcons have just $2.7 million in cap space available.

As for how an extension might look, Leonard Williams’ three-year, $64.5 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks should be a good starting point.

Williams is three months older than Reddick and was acquired by Seattle in a 2023 trade before being re-signed in free agency.

Potential Suitors: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons

I have a hard time believing that number gets Reddick to sign on the dotted line. The soon-to-be 30-year-old hasn’t recorded fewer than 11 sacks since 2019, including 27 over the last two seasons.

I’d love to be wrong about this one, though. If that’s the price, the Falcons should be sprinting to the negotiating table with the Eagles and, subsequently, Reddick’s representation.