J.J. Watt to Arizona could be good news for Giants

The news that five-time All-Pro edge defender J.J. Watt will join the Arizona Cardinals could have a trickle-down effect that might benefit the New York Giants.

That news means that Haason Reddick, who had a career-year with 12.5 sacks for Arizona in 2020, will almost certainly reach free agency.

Reddick, 26, was the 13th overall pick by the Cardinals in 2017. He was playing on the edge full time in 2020 after spending much of his time in previous seasons at off-ball linebacker.

Reddick played collegiately at Temple and is a Camden, N.J. native. Over his first three seasons, Reddick had just 7.5 sacks. In 2020, he had the 12.5 sacks and a career-high 16 quarterback hits. Five of Reddick’s sacks came in one game against the Giants.

Seth Cox of SB Nation’s Cardinals website, Revenge of the Birds, told Big Blue View recently that Reddick is “a player who is really still growing” into the edge position and “has the goods and the room to grow to be a consistent 8+ sack a year guy.”