Haason Reddick is Arizona Cardinals toughest contract decision

We have discussed the impact of letting Haason Reddick go in free agency.

The Arizona Cardinals lack any type of young edge talent on the roster and Chandler Jones is a free agent after this season. He is also on the wrong side of 30 and coming off a major injury.

For the Cardinals though, there is the flipside of the Reddick contract... Is he worth the long-term investment?

Bleacher Report looked at every teams hardest contract decision heading into the 2021 offseason and Reddick’s was Arizona’s:

After three mostly disappointing seasons, the Cardinals declined the fifth-year option on outside linebacker Haason Reddick last May. He spent most of his first three seasons in an off-ball role, but with Jones lost for the year, the Cardinals moved Reddick to more of an edge-rushing role. Reddick racked up 12.5 sacks—including a franchise-record five in a Week 14 tilt against the New York Giants.

The question is whether a player who had just 7.5 sacks in three seasons heading into last year and just five entering December last season is worth a long-term extension averaging over $11 million per year.

I agree, paying Reddick $40-50 million is going to be tough. I have advocated that it makes sense for the Cardinals to franchise tag him and give him a prove it one-year deal. If he can replicate the 2020 season, relatively speaking he can cash in even more. If he bombs, you saved yourself $20ish million in guarantees.

For the Cardinals, it is a tough call to make.

What would you do?