Sheldon won’t be Jetting

THE NFL trade deadline came and went and Sheldon Richardson is still a Jet.

Gang Green didn’t make any moves at the deadline, but the team did at least speak to the Cowboys about Richardson, the Daily News learned. The Jets were open to dealing their fourthyear defensive lineman at their price. In fact, with their season in shambles, Gang Green was willing to listen to offers for anyone on its roster except for Leonard Williams.

Ultimately, though, the Jets couldn’t find a partner to meet their price for Richardson or anyone else for that matter before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline.

It wasn’t surprising to hear Richardson’s name floated in trade rumors Tuesday because in some respects, shopping Richardson made sense. The Jets are virtually out of the playoff picture at this point and so Richardson might have been worth more to someone else who is still in the hunt. He’s coming to the end of his rookie deal — though the Jets have exercised their team option on him for $8 million next year — so they could have been looking to recoup some value for him now if they anticipate losing him after 2017.

In addition, Gang Green has three good defensive ends in Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson and Williams, which has caused Richardson to play out of position sometimes over the past year and a half under Todd Bowles. Wilkerson was recently locked up to a long-term deal and Williams has two years plus a team option remaining on his rookie contract. On the other hand, Richardson is one of the Jets’ best players, if not the best. Dealing him now would have signaled that the team had given up on 2016 and also would likely hurt them in 2017.

Just because the Jets didn’t trade Richardson on Tuesday doesn’t mean his long-term future is any clearer. The defensive lineman could certainly end up back on the trade block in the offseason.

Other teams may have been wary of Richardson because of his off-field troubles. He was suspended for four games for marijuana last year and suspended one game this year for his high-speed road race in July of 2015 in which police clocked him at 143 miles per hour and charged him with resisting arrest.