Haason Reddick on Cardinals’ defensive changes: ‘It’s a relief’

Like Budda Baker and other Cardinals, Haason Reddick is being shifted by Vance Joseph’s new defense. It’s his third defense, as Reddick was a first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, and went 26 picks above Baker.

Previous defenses had Reddick in positions other than inside linebacker, where the third-year player prefers to play.

“It was frustrating,” he told Bickley and Marotta on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station. “At the end of the day, it’s a business. This is a business. You got to just roll with the punches.”

But Reddick seems plenty happy with the Cardinals, and more importantly with his new position.

“It’s such a big relief,” he said. “Just knowing this is where I’m going to be at. They want me in the starting lineup. Knowing all these things, it’s a relief.”

Reddick touted his mental strength as the biggest reason he was able to deal with the change in his first two years.

“My thought process is, ‘Keep my head up, stay confident and stay with my belief and know that I’m not here for no reason. I’m here because I’m supposed to be here.’ I didn’t get here by accident. I’m here because I’m supposed to be here. And with that being said, I just gotta keep my head up,” he said.

Hard work sure helps, too.

“Hard work always perseveres,” he said.

Despite questions about his role, Reddick feels as if this upcoming season could be his to shine.

“My teammates are expecting me to be out there and helping make plays and helping them win games. That’s what I’m going to go out there and do,” he said.

“I’m going to do what I was drafted to come here and do.”