SHEL- DONE
JETS TRADE TALENTED BUT TROUBLED DL TO SEATTLE FOR SECOND-ROUNDER, WR
So long, Sheldon. The Jets shipped out defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson on Friday, trading the talented but troubled 26-year-old to the Seahawks in exchange for Seattle’s second-round pick in 2018 and wide receiver Jermaine Kearse. The two teams also exchanged seventh-round picks in 2018.
The Jets have been trying to trade Richardson for nearly a year. Richardson was a firstround pick by the team in 2013 and won Defensive Rookie of the Year, followed by a Pro Bowl appearance in 2014. But his production slipped last year (1.5 sacks) and he opened the 2015 and ’16 seasons with suspensions.
“We obviously think very highly of Sheldon,” general manager Mike Maccagnan said in a conference call with reporters. “We were positive with him, but we thought it was a good fit and a good value for what we’re trying to accomplish, both short and long term.”
Kearse walks in the door as the most experienced wide receiver the Jets have. The 27year-old has started for Seattle since 2014. He had 41 catches for 510 yards and one touchdown last year.
The key to the deal for the Jets was the second-round pick. The team is in the early stages of a massive rebuilding. Maccagnan has repeatedly spoke about building through the draft. This gives him another chip to do that with.
Sources said the trade talks with Seattle heated up last month. The deal was finalized Friday. The Jets dealt from their lone strength — the defensive line. With Muhammad Wilkerson and Leonard Williams locked up for the next few years, Richardson became expendable. He is in the final year of his contract, which will pay him $8.1 million this season.
“We have some good, young defensive linemen,” Maccagnan said. “Sheldon was part of that, but in return, it allowed us the ability to entertain options there. Long-term and shortterm we’re still committed to building this thing through the draft. That kind of helps us from our standpoint. Sheldon, obviously, was in the option year of his contract and was going to become a free agent at the end of the season. It affords us the opportunity to acquire some draft capital and also acquire a player we feel may bring an element to our team not just from a talent standpoint, but from a character and intangible standpoint into our receiver room.”
Richardson was not in the Jets’ future plans. They were not interested in signing him to a long-term deal and had been shopping him since last season. For all of his talent, he created headaches for the organization. He has been suspended for fail- ing a drug test and violating the personal conduct policy after getting arrested for driving 143 miles per hour in Missouri. He also had less serious transgressions like feuding with Brandon Marshall last season. Richardson also will be remembered for calling an ill-advised timeout in Green Bay in 2014 that wiped a touchdown off the scoreboard.
Richardson drew coach Todd Bowles’ ire last month when he ripped Marshall during a radio interview.
For Richardson, this is a fresh start with a talented team.
“Another team wanted me,” Richardson told ESPN. “Got to roll with the punches. I’m happy for the situation I’m in now. Fresh start.
“I can’t wait to contribute on a defense with guys like that. I want to get out there and start on defense. That’s the plan.”
The Jets save $5.8 million with the move, according to overthecap.com, which will make ownership happy. Kearse is scheduled to make $2.2 million this season as part of a three-year, $13.5 million deal he signed in 2016.
The Jets started making moves to get their roster down to 53. They must do so by 4 p.m. Saturday. The only surprise cut was kicker Ross Martin. He was viewed as the favorite in the kicking competition, but Chandler Catanzaro won out. The other cuts: OT Jeff Adams, TE Brandon Barnes, LB Spencer Paysinger, WR Myles White, G Craig Watts, WR Chris Harper, DL Jeremy Faulk, CB Armagedon Draughn and CB David Rivers.