Haason Reddick sees growth, in himself and this defense

He wasn’t around last week in New Orleans, as he fought through a bout of COVID-19 — “them first two days were rough days,” he said. But from the vantage point of his home in Charlotte, he was impressed with how the Panthers defense played.

“We looked really, really, really good at times,” he said. “Being at home and watching from the couch, I just couldn’t wait to get back for this last game and get back with the guys. It looked like they were having fun, a lot of energy, and guys were flying all over the place. I was excited. It was like an extra incentive to get back on the field with these guys.”

He pointed to plays like defensive tackle Derrick Brown chasing Saints running back Alvin Kamara downfield on a screen pass as evidence the team was both growing, and not giving up despite a 5-11 record.

“At the end of the day, it’s a process, and guys have to understand what we’re working towards,” Reddick said. “We didn’t hit that goal this year, but you know we’ve got next year. If we can keep the same pieces and get everybody to buy in, instead of taking time to buy in, if we can buy into the process earlier, and guys gelling, it makes for a better second year with the team being together.”

Of course, his free agency means that second year is not a given, though pass-rush partner Brian Burns made his preferences clear.

“It would mean a lot (to have Reddick back),” Burns said. “I really don’t even think, speaking from an edge point of view, I don’t even think we scratched the surface of what we could have done this season.

“It would mean a lot. I think we could do something great. We’ve got a good amount of sacks together, and it would be great to see my dog come back. But it’s a business, and I understand how things go, . . . But I’d love to have my dog back, for real, for real.”