New York Jets

The time for Jets to trade Sheldon Richardson is now

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:47 p.m. ET

Fansided, Rhonda Schmidt/FanSided via The Jet Press

Defensive end Sheldon Richardson has brought more distractions than what he’s done on the gridiron. The time for the New York Jets to trade him is now.

The New York Jets would like to be able to part ways with defensive end Sheldon Richardson, as some teams seem quite interested in him, who is now 26-years-old. Richardson has some of the best years ahead of him but isn’t playing to his potential due to his off-the-field distractions.

Richardson was a first-round pick. The talent clearly showed, but off the field, things have not always worked out well for him. He was suspended for marijuana use, missing four games in the start of the 2015 season. A case of speeding was also a reason for yet another suspension, this time for just one game.

With the fact that there are other options to fill Richardson’s spot, it is indeed time to look into trading him somewhere else. Between missed team meetings, along with SnapChat problems, he’s creating issues in the locker room as the Jets have seen better days with him.

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Several teams have definitely expressed interest in Richardson. The Dallas Cowboys are one of those teams. Trade rumors have not exactly sizzled yet between the two teams, and no deal was made yet, however, they have also sparked some interest in the possibility of Richardson on their team.

It would make sense for the Jets to make some phone calls to see what kind of interest he draws during the offseason. Granted, it won’t be much but on the right team and with a clean slate, Richardson should flourish. It’s just the Jets can’t afford to have such a distraction in their locker room as they do their best to bounce back for next season and beyond.

It is also rumored that the Washington Redskins had their eye on Richardson. The Oakland Raiders have had Richardson on their mind too, and even the Denver Broncos were also known to be linked to the trade talks involving him. The interest is definitely there, now it’s just a matter of the Jets getting what they can in return to once again build this team towards a better future.

With having really nowhere to play on this Jets team, the best thing to do is clearly to trade him. It is hurting the Jets to have Richardson always in hot water and using social media to post inappropriate things. It just gives the Jets organization a headache, and yes, they could benefit exceedingly well from the departure of Richardson. It’s not like the Jets have no other options at defensive end. Leonard Williams is playing very well for this team, and the Jets are more than pleased to see him go out there and be the next cornerstone on their defensive line. Something Richardson isn’t mature enough to handle.