Jets can’t fold to Haason Reddick after former first rounder’s season ending injury

The New York Jets and those damn Achilles tendons.

Last season the Jets famously lost Aaron Rodgers to a torn Achilles just four plays into the season. A few games later, do-it-all offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker went down with the same injury. The injury put both players on a long and difficult road to recovery, and frankly, one I don’t think either is 100% fully healed from.

Now, the Achilles issue has reared its ugly head again as star edge rusher Jermaine Johnson confirmed what we all suspected on Sunday, that he did tear his Achilles in the Jets 24-17 victory over the Titans.

Johnson posted a positive message on his X account, which was in juxtaposition to the scooter he was riding to get out of the building.

Johnson’s injury isn’t even a result of MetLife turf monster , as the Jets were on the road in Nashville when he got injured.

Johnson was a Pro-Bowler last season and was poised to take another step in his development this year. Now, the Jets will be down one of their young star defenders and one of the emotional leaders of their defense.

The long road to recovery starts today for Jermaine Johnson, but the question now becomes, what do the Jets do to replace the former Pro Bowler. The answer is not so simple.

Many will argue that the best solution is to give in to Haason Reddick’s contract demands and finally have him be a part of this team who traded for him this offseason. This would be a mistake.

The Jets still have leverage in these negotiations simply for the fact that Reddick not showing up by Week 10 will start this whole process all over again next season and he will not be paid for this season and still owe the Jets over $5 million in fines. In other words, he has to show up at some point if he wants his career to continue.

Now is not the time to allow someone to set a precedent of snake-like tactics to get what he wants from an organization. Joe Douglas has been stead-fast in his dealing with Reddick and he can’t change course now or he will look weak and attach the Jets to a large financial burden for years to come.

General Manage Joe Douglas drafted Will McDonald IV in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft and it is time to throw him to the fire. Up to this point, the Jets have handled McDonald with kid gloves, only putting him in the game during obvious passing situations so he can do what he does best. But that is no longer an option. McDonald will need to get better fast to become an every-down player. The Jets also have former first round pick Takk McKinley as well as undrafted rookies Braiden McGregor and Eric Watts to play opposite of Micheal Clemons on the defensive edge.

It is still a game of chicken between Reddick and Douglas and the Jermaine Johnson injury shouldn’t make Douglas blink.