Are the Eagles really preparing to go into next season without three of the top four edge rushers who began the 2023 season?

Already, Derek Barnett is long gone, released last November only to have a career renaissance after he was picked up by Houston. Brandon Graham might not return, either. And if he does, it'll most likely be in a diminished role as he turns 36 in April.

And now, the Eagles are apparently telling Haason Reddick to seek a trade. It might seem strange considering that Reddick led the Eagles with 11 sacks last season, a total he has reached or exceeded for the fourth straight season.

If that transpires, that would leave the Eagles with Josh Sweat, who had 6½ sacks last season; 2023 first-round pick Nolan Smith, who didn't play up to expectations after Barnett was released; and deep reserve Patrick Johnson, who rarely played.

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There's no way the Eagles are going into the season like that. Not after Eagles GM Howie Roseman has constantly talked about putting as many resources as possible into the offensive and defensive lines.

But it's also becoming clear that the Eagles are prepared to move on from Reddick − and not the other way around.

Reddick, the South Jersey native and Temple star, told Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz earlier this week that he never asked to be traded, and that he wants to sign an extension with the Eagles.

“I would like to get an extension done here at home," Reddick told Schultz. "At no point did I ever tell the organization I want to be traded. This is home for me. I was born and raised here. Two of the most fun years playing football in my life came here. I’ve cherished being an Eagle."

Reddick also posted on X that "I do understand it's a business. Preparing for whatever is next!"

Here's the business part of a Reddick trade

This is the business part: Reddick will count $21.9 million on the Eagles' salary cap heading into the final season of his three-year, $45 million contract.

Granted, the Eagles have about $20 million in cap room, even with Reddick having the biggest cap hit. But Reddick made it clear last summer that he feels like he outperformed that deal when he was asked if he feels like he is underpaid.

"Y’all see it. Y’all know what’s going on," Reddick said last August. "I’m just worried about being the best version of myself. And then everything else will sort itself out."

The Eagles certainly can sign Reddick, who turns 30 in September, to an extension. That will most likely cut his salary cap charge for 2024 in half, to about $11 million.

Certainly, that makes fiscal sense − for 2024.

Beyond that? Not so much. That's because the Eagles would have to add at least two to three years to the deal, plus some voidable years. That means that Reddick could count on the Eagles' salary cap into his late 30s.

Where Reddick ranks with T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett

Keep in mind that the Eagles also have to pay wide receiver DeVonta Smith and left guard Landon Dickerson after this season, all while quarterback Jalen Hurts' five-year extension worth as much as $255 million starts kicking in.

Reddick, no doubt, would want the annual average value of his contract to increase from $15 million to at least $20 million, and he can certainly make that case. Reddick ranks 17th in edge rusher pay heading into 2024, but he's fourth in sacks since 2020.

The three players ahead of him in sacks all have an average annual value well above Reddick's. Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt is at $28 million, Cleveland's Myles Garrett is at $25 million and Cincinnati's Trey Hendrickson is at $21 million.

In addition, San Francisco's Nick Bosa averages $34 million per season, and Kansas City's Chris Jones, who's the same age as Reddick, is eligible for free agency. He'll certainly be in the $30 million per year range.

A quick aside for Eagles fans: Just imagine Jones lined up next to Jalen Carter on the defensive line.

Or the Eagles could stay in Reddick's current salary ballpark and go after San Francisco's Chase Young, who was the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft and is still two months shy of turning 25.

Young hasn't lived up to his potential so far. But he did have 7.5 sacks playing in 16 games with both Washington and San Francisco in 2023. It was Young's first healthy season since his rookie year in 2020. As a rookie, Young also had 7.5 sacks, was selected to the Pro Bowl and was named the defensive rookie of the year.

By trading Reddick, the Eagles would not only save $16 million on the salary cap, but they should get back at least one draft pick in Rounds 2 or 3, and possibly another mid-round pick.

They could also straight-out release Reddick with a post-June 1 designation, and save the $16 million. It's not out of the question. The Eagles were prepared to do that last spring with cornerback Darius Slay.

As for the draft, the Eagles have chances to draft a replacement. They have a first-round pick (No. 22 overall), and two second-round picks (Nos. 50 and 53). They don't have their own third-round pick, but should get a compensatory pick at the end of the round.

Where does that leave Nolan Smith?

The Eagles, clearly, need more from Smith.

He has been compared often to Reddick because they have a similar body type. But Smith had just one sack last season. Smith never played more than 14% of the snaps over the first 11 games. That changed after Barnett was released, but Smith didn't take advantage.

The lasting image from Smith's rookie season was the season finale against the Giants when he was futilely chasing after running back Saquon Barkley on a 46-yard pass play.

So Smith could be the key factor if the Eagles decide to move on from Reddick. But they'll also need more at edge rusher, both in free agency and with an early-round draft pick.

All of that can work, and for less than Reddick's current salary cap hit for 2024.

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: What Eagles, Haason Reddick trade confusion says about Nolan Smith