In his Tampa Bay Buccaneers' debut at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Week One, outside linebacker Haason Reddick notched his first sack of the season, dropping Falcons' quarterback Michael Penix Jr. for a nine-yard loss. He shot out of a two-point stance and worked up-and-under Elijah Wilkinson off the edge with an elite first step. In the season opener, Reddick generated a team-high seven pressures, including three in under 2.5 seconds according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Overall, Reddick generated five pressures on 22 matchups with Wilkinson, including three of his quick pressures and the sack per Next Gen metrics. The Bucs moved Reddick around to maximize his athleticism against both the run and pass.
"We tried to run a little bit of base that looked like a nickel, a little nickel that looked like base and move him around some so he wouldn't be stuck, and he could be an active player," said Head Coach Todd Bowles. "He was a very active player for us that way. It really helped us in the run game, as well as the pass game. I know he feels like he should have had two more sacks than he should have, but I like where he's at. I like how he fits in here. He's going to do nothing but benefit us."
The Bucs signed the two-time Pro Bowl free agent back in March to bolster the defensive front. Throughout his career, Reddick has appeared in 124 career games between the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets, making 83 starts and compiling 419 tackles (71 for loss), 102 quarterback hits, 59.0 sacks (14 strip sacks), 20 passes defensed, 18 forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries. Dating back to the 2020 season, Reddick has posted four seasons with double-digit sacks, tied for the second-most in the NFL, trailing only Myles Garrett (five). Reddick's 51.5 sacks across the past five seasons are the sixth-most in the NFL over that duration, trailing only T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett, Trey Hendrickson, Nick Bosa and Micah Parsons. Reddick has recorded 15 forced fumbles since 2020 – the second-most in the NFL– including a league-leading 14 strip sacks across that time.
On Sunday against the Falcons, Reddick showed flashes of speed that overwhelmed the Falcons' front. He dropped in coverage on several occasions, displaying his versatility and pursuit skills. Reddick has developed into one of the most feared pass rushers with quickness and bend around the arc. On Sunday against the Falcons, Reddick helped solidify Tampa Bay's defensive line.
