Could Falcons Help Pass Rush with Haason Reddick, Jeff Ulbrich Reunion?

On the surface, soon-to-be free agent outside linebacker Haason Reddick's 2024 season with the New York Jets should do little to intrigue the Atlanta Falcons.

Reddick, who the Jets acquired via trade with the Philadelphia Eagles in April, arrived in New York with four consecutive seasons of double-digit sacks and back-to-back Pro Bowl nods.

He exited with only one sack in a 10-game, two-start season that was derailed by a lengthy holdout to begin the campaign.

Now, the 30-year-old Reddick hits the free agency market this spring with his stock much lower than it was a year ago -- which may prove beneficial to the Falcons.

But why would Atlanta seek a deal with Reddick? Why, for a team that finished second-to-last in the NFL with 31 sacks this past season, take a swing on a pass rusher whose career is at a crossroads?

The answer is Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, who was the Jets' defensive coordinator the past four years and served as interim head coach for the final 12 games of 2024.

Ulbrich has a nuanced understanding of why Reddick's numbers stepped backward. He also has a proven fondness for the former Temple standout, who perhaps exceeded Ulbrich's expectations from a character standpoint.

"The one thing I can say about Haason with 100% certainty, and I feel just so honored to have coached him and been around him, is this guy's willing to do whatever it takes -- he's one of the most unselfish players I've been around," Ulbrich said in late December.

"You just never know what you're going to get when you get guys of his caliber, and sometimes they can be selfish in some ways, and there's none of that to this man."

On the field, Reddick's numbers didn't match the caliber of player the Jets thought they received. The 6-foot-1, 240-pound Reddick tallied a half-sack in two games, and one quarterback hit in another.

Those were the only three times he made contact with the opposing signal caller all season, according to Pro Football Reference. He totaled 20 quarterback hurries, which ranked 63rd among 211 edge rushers, per Pro Football Focus.

Reddick added 14 tackles, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one pass defended -- far from the heights he reached the previous for years with the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers and Eagles, during which he collected 50.5 sacks in 66 games.

The question now centers around why Reddick's production didn't translate to his time with Ulbrich. But Ulbrich feels there's a natural answer, one that suggests Reddick is still physically capable of playing at a high level.

"Everything we thought we were getting with him, everything we had seen on tape that made us pursue him as hard as we did, has showed up," Ulbrich said. "It's been a byproduct of a lot of things -- maybe still getting familiar with what we do. So, I don't think it's a physical thing so much.

"Then, the opps -- for pass rushers to get production, you need to have substantial leads, and you need to have leads throughout the game so you can really let your rushers go. We haven't had enough of those opportunities for him and our entire D-line for that matter."

Reddick, who skipped OTAs, training camp and the first month and a half of the season due to a contract-related holdout, never publicly addressed his absence. Ulbrich later said not having the offseason program hurt Reddick's performance, and he wasn't in football shape.

The Camden, New Jersey, native finished with a pass rush grade of 52.9 overall, according to Pro Football Focus, which ranked 174th out of 211 qualified candidates.

For the Falcons to commit to Reddick, they'll need to come to terms with his down season and truly believe that a full offseason of participation can right the wrongs of his past.

Otherwise, Atlanta may pass on reuniting Reddick with Ulbrich -- even though Ulbrich appreciated the veteran presence Reddick brought to the Jets' locker room.

"He's done a great job to really put his arm around some of our younger guys, and helping them with their progress and their development," Ulbrich said. "So, although production's not there, Haason has provided a ton for our team and our defense."