There is trouble in paradise on day one and it involves a pair of their biggest stars, one on each side of the ball. The New York Jets will kick off mandatory minicamp missing quarterback Aaron Rodgers and defensive end Haason Reddick.
Coach Robert Saleh told reporters on Tuesday that Rodgers and Reddick were both unexcused absences from minicamp.
“Aaron and I spoke before OTAs started,” Saleh said. “He’s very good in communication. He’s been here the entire time. It’s [unexcused], but he had an event that was very important to him, which he communicated.”
Choosing not to attend the two-day minicamp expose each player to fines. According to the NFL’s current collective bargaining agreement, players who miss minicamp without an excused absence can be fined up to $16,953 for the first day and $33,908 for the second day ($50,855 for a potential third day). Rodgers and Reddick are subject to a total of $50,861.
Reddick is officially a holdout after skipping voluntary workouts, possibly due to contract negotiations. Saleh said last week he expected the edge rusher at mandatory minicamp, however, Reddick declined to show.
Gang Green traded for the two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher this spring, sending the Philadelphia Eagles a conditional 2026 third-round pick. Reddick has one year remaining on his contract with a base salary of $14.25 million. The deal had been a point of contention all offseason, as the Eagles granted his camp permission to seek out a trade in early February.
The Jets eventually made the move in late March after losing pass-rush specialist Bryce Huff to Philadelphia in free agency. At the time of the trade, the thought around NFL circles was that a new long-term contract would follow. As offseason workouts come to a close, a deal remains up in the air, so Reddick will remain away from the team.
As for Rodgers, Saleh emphasized that while it is an unexcused absence, the organization was aware the four-time MVP would not attend minicamp due to a previous engagement. Rodgers had been a full participant in the Jets’ voluntary workouts.
Embed from Getty ImagesRunning back Breece Hall said Rodgers’ absence is not a big deal.
“He’s still trying to come back, still get back to feeling right from his injury and everything,” Hall said. “I know he’s working his tail off. Whether he’s here or not, I know he’s all in.”
Veteran players missing non-contact practices in the middle of June is nothing to have a cow over, especially in Rodgers’ case since he has been available all spring, not to mention that he is in year twenty, but it is notable. Reddick’s circumstance is interesting to say the least, given the offseason trade that brought him to the ‘Big Apple’.
