Indianapolis Colts Trade Targets: Haason Reddick

Haason Reddick LB/DE

Reddick burst onto the scene at Temple and managed 22.5 tackles for a loss and 9.5 sacks in 14 games as a senior. He carried hype into the Senior Bowl, where he was moved to inside linebacker and impressed those in attendance. His performance in Mobile translated into a soaring draft stock and culminated in his selection with the 13th overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals.

Since being drafted, Reddick hasn’t really progressed in NFL standards. He has recorded 51 tackles and 4.5 sacks in limited playing time but his workload and snap count have decreased. Reddick would be a huge addition to the Colts defense.

Adding him to a young athletic group that includes Darius Leonard, Kemoko Turay, Malik Hooker and Anthony Walker Jr. would bring another dimension to the current group’s skill set. Reddick is a versatile piece that Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus could deploy in many ways. Having the athleticism to line up at LB and DE would be huge. Importantly, Reddick has shown ability to create pressure as a pass rusher and the ability to drop back in coverage.

The perceived drawback seems to be Reddick’s inability to pick up NFL defensive schemes. He struggled in the Cardinals previous 3-4 defense, after changing positions, and according to Jason La Confora, he appears to be struggling to pick up new head coach Steve Wilks’ 4-3 defense. Additionally, while his versatility can be viewed as a strength, it is also may also result in a “tweener” conundrum — where it is difficult to determine Reddick’s best position and how he should be used.

Eberflus’ defense is simplistic and prides itself on putting younger guys in positions to win by using their natural athletic abilities. If true, Reddick could be a perfect fit. Eberflus has already shown the ability to move his defensive pieces around in order to make plays. Denico Autry lines up all over the defensive line, Margus Hunt plays inside and out, Clayton Geathers plays both safety and dime linebacker, so it’s possible this scheme would be great for a player like Reddick whose value could be maximized by moving around and playing multiple roles.

Compensation: mid round draft selection, in the third or fourth round.

Likelihood: 20%. The fit is ideal but its hard to determine whether the Cardinals are ready to give up on a first round pick from two years ago. If Cardinals General Manager Steve Keim is willing to move Reddick, Chris Ballard may jump at the opportunity.