NFL Insider sides with Robert Saleh on New York Jets' Haason Reddick mess

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh has insisted Haason Reddick's training camp holdout has not been a distraction for the team, and an NFL Network insider agrees.

"It's not [a distraction]. I promise you it's not," said Saleh this past Tuesday as Reddick's protest entered its fourth week. "It's a great opportunity for the guys that are here. We love our D-line. We love our depth, especially at the defensive end position."

The fact that Reddick has never been one of "the guys that are here" may have lessened the impact of his actions as reporter Tom Pelissero suggested during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show .

"I don't get the sense that this is a distraction in the most common sense of the word for the Jets, just because most of the guys on the team have never met Haason Reddick," said Pelissero answering a question from host Andrew Siciliano. "He's never gone through a walk-through with the team."

Reddick was acquired in late March. He showed up for an introductory press conference, but that has been the extent of his appearances as a Jet. The soon-to-be 30-year-old edge rusher did not participate in voluntary OTAs and subsequently blew off mandatory June minicamp.

"To the extent that when it's a guy that everybody knows as a locker room leader, you feel that absence. These guys don't know Haason Reddick," said Pelissero.

When he decides to show up, Reddick projects as the starting defensive end opposite Jermaine Johnson. The Jets do, however, employ a different defensive scheme than the Philadelphia Eagles , Reddick's former team, so a brief acclimation period would be helpful.

"One way or another, I'm anticipate that they're gonna figure something out, but it's a matter of is he really gonna play this out into the season?" said Pelissero.

The Jets kick off the regular season with a Monday Night Football road matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on September 9.

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