This is the Locked-on Jets podcast on this Sunday morning.

I'm your host, John B from gangreneation.com.

Big news out of Jets camp today.

Our long national nightmare is finally over.

Hassan Reddick is ending his holdout and reporting to the New York Jets.

Reddick does not get the long-term contract he was seeking. Instead, he will play out the 20-24 season on an adjusted contract. The Jets have agreed to wipe out his $12 million in fines in exchange for him finally reporting to the team. And I think it's fair to say this is going to be a boost to the defense. Redick has been one of the top pass rushers in the NFL over the last four seasons,

and this is a Jets defensive line that's been hurting. It's been hurting in the run game. And I do think Reddick can help to an extent in the run game, because even though it's not his specialty, you know, he's not a very big guy, but he's been a solid run defender. And the Jets defense events have been awful against the run to this point in the season.

So I actually do think he will benefit the Jets in the run game.

But of course, valid run defender. And the Jets defense events have been awful against the run to this point in the season.

So I actually do think he will benefit the Jets in the run game. But of course, the biggest addition

he will bring to the team is his pass rushing ability because he's near the top of the NFL

sack list since the 2020 season began. That's the reason the Jets traded for him. The Jets got him

because they thought he was going to be a phenomenal pass rusher.

And this Jets defense has been stretched thin.

It's been stretched thin in part because Jermaine Johnson is out for the season with an injury.

And that has left Will McDonald as the only defensive end who can generate a consistent pass rush,

which in turn has kind of forced the Jets to play McDonald maybe a little bit more than is optimal. McDonald is an undersized defensive end. He is a guy who does not hold up well against the run. If you want to look at the reasons the Jets are struggling against the run, Will McDonald is not the only reason. There are other guys who are not performing well. There are other guys who are getting playing time on this line who, frankly, are not that talented. But I do think it's fair to say the Jets are probably playing McDonald a little bit too much. And the reason for that is that they need his pass rushing ability. Reddick adds a little bit extra there so maybe they can scale back McDonald's playing time a little bit. Beyond that, this is now like a professional pass rush. this season or at least in the off season you

heading heading into the start of the 2024 campaign many of many of us were hoping that the jet's

defensive line would have one of the most ferocious pass rushes in the league and i think we had

memories of the jet's defensive line being a major strength over the last couple seasons you know

with 2020 22 2023 the jet's defensive line was good and it was deep.

And in 2024, the Jets defensive line has been bad and there has been very limited depth.

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