At least they will get some compensation for their troubles.
Per Over The Cap’s latest projections, the New York Jets are currently expected to receive a fourth-round compensatory pick in the 2026 NFL draft for Haason Reddick’s departure in free agency, a nice silver lining to one of their biggest recent missteps.
Compensatory picks are awarded to teams that lose more qualifying unrestricted free agents than they sign during the offseason. The NFL uses a complex formula that takes into account factors such as contract value, snap counts, and postseason awards to determine pick value, which ranges from the third to the seventh round.
Since Reddick signed a significant deal with Tampa Bay (one year, $14 million) and the Jets did not add an equivalent free agent, his departure is projected to earn New York a fourth-round pick in 2026.
The compensatory formula cuts off the Monday after the draft, meaning any free agents signed after that point no longer count toward the formula – nearly locking in Reddick’s status as a fourth-round value for New York.
When New York acquired Reddick from the Philadelphia Eagles last March, the plan was clear: bring in a proven edge rusher with four straight double-digit sack seasons to elevate the Jets’ defensive front significantly.
Instead, they got a holdout.
Reddick skipped all of minicamp, training camp, and a significant portion of the regular season in pursuit of a new deal. By the time he finally agreed to a restructured contract and suited up in Week 8, the damage was already done.
On the field, things didn’t get much better. The veteran pass rusher managed just one sack across the final 10 games of the season, a stunning collapse for a player who had once been one of the NFL’s most consistent sack artists.
Still, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers saw enough to offer him a one-year deal worth up to $14 million this offseason.
While giving up a conditional third-rounder for a one-sack rental looks like a glaring failure, the Jets salvaging a projected fourth-round compensatory pick at least softens the blow.
