Seahawks swing trades ahead of season
Seattle gets Richardson from N.Y. Jets for Kearse
SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks have made a big splash for their top-notch defence just before the start of the regular season.
Seattle acquired defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson from the New York Jets on Friday in exchange for receiver Jermaine Kearse and a 2018 second-round draft pick, bolstering a defence that was already considered among the best in the NFL.
The clubs will also swap seventh-round picks in 2018 as part of the deal.
Richardson solidifies the interior of Seattle’s defensive line and quells some of the concerns raised by the uncertainty surrounding rookie second-round pick Malik McDowell, who was injured in a July ATV accident.
Richardson has spent his entire career with the Jets after being picked in the first round in 2013 and he was a Pro Bowl selection after the 2014 season, when he recorded a career-high eight sacks.
Richardson was a standout for the Jets — although he had a disappointing 2016 season — but seemed to outlast his welcome in New York. Most recently, Jets coach Todd Bowles expressed his displeasure with Richardson’s comments accusing former teammate Brandon Marshall of quitting on the team last season.
Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan said Richardson’s comments were not a factor in making the deal.
“The simple answer is no,” Maccagnan said. “I will say this: From our standpoint and as an organization, we’ve really liked Sheldon. From that standpoint, that had no bearing on anything we decided to do.”
Richardson can be a dominant interior lineman and he now joins one of the best defences in the NFL.
Seattle already has Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril and Frank Clark as anchors and now adds an interior talent with the proven ability to stop the run and be a presence as a pass rusher. The addition of Richardson means eight of the 11 projected starters on defence have been voted to at least one Pro Bowl in their careers.
Richardson is entering the final year of his rookie deal and had played well during the preseason.
Kearse was one of the most consistent receivers during Pete Carroll’s tenure in Seattle. Kearse’s best season was 2015 when he had 49 receptions and five touchdowns in the regular season.
Seattle made three trades on Friday, also making a change to their depth chart at cornerback.
The Seahawks sent Tramaine Brock to the Minnesota Vikings for a seventh-round pick, then flipped a seventh-round pick to New England for Justin Coleman.