Jets are in a dilemma with Sheldon Richardson

Sheldon Richardson enters the final year of his rookie contract with the New York Jets this year. Sheldon will collect eight million sixty-nine thousand dollars in 2017 while the Jets are trying to trade him.

The New York Jets first round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft (13th overall) started his career as promising as a rookie could wish. Defensive end Sheldon Richardson‘s resume on paper is impressive as any NFL player could possibly want. It includes 2013 NFL AP Defensive Rookie of the year honors, 2013 NFL All-Rookie team, 2014 Pro Bowl selection, 2014 NFL top 100 (#94) along with placing in 2015 NFL’s top 100 players (#55).

So why were the Jets trying so vigorously to trade the all-pro this offseason and finding no takers? The answer is his wild actions on and off the field, which has been one of Gang Green’s biggest problems for some time now. The team, which is accordingly, building now from scratch, must rid themselves of players with this kind of behavior.

In his third year (2015), his troubles started. He failed the league’s substance abuse policy that resulted in a four-game suspension. Immediately after, Richardson was involved in a very disturbing incident, leading police on 143 miles per hour car chase with a loaded handgun in his possession plus having a young 12-year-old along for the ride.

Sheldon took to Twitter and stated it will never happen again:

I vow to you, this will not happen again. My team will continue to push forward without me to start the season.

— Sheldon Richardson (@Godforshort) July 2, 2015

That unnecessary incident put the 2014 Pro Bowler on all of New York’s sports page headlines along with the NFL’s top news. The star player had now fallen from grace.

Did Richardson even care about how he appeared in the media and in the eyes of his beloved Jets fans after that incident? Certainly, it looks as if he didn’t care at all.

In 2016 entering a Primetime Monday Night game facing the rival Miami Dolphins, Richardson showed some bizarre behavior once again. On Snapchat, Richardson went on teammates Rontez Miles account and made some disturbing comments that landing him in the headlines once again.

Addressing the Snapchat video, was it disturbing? Yes, it most certainly was, nevertheless, it actually was not a big deal. The New York media wound up making it a big deal. It was meant as a joke, two teammates playing around in the locker room in a misjudging manner messing around on social media.

Last year, the defensive lineman did not see eye to eye with the outlandish new man on the block, Brandon Marshall. Brandon and his antics are now in the locker room opposite of the Jets. Marshall has signed with the New York Giants. That relieves Sheldon as he and personally I saw Marshall as the pot stirrer and a significant part of last year’s collapse.

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Alongside Muhammad Wilkerson, who looks now to be back at 100 percent, Richardson could have a considerable tremendous year in 2017. Being it’s his free agent year, we should expect to hopefully see a new and reborn star.

The Jets have until October 31st to trade Richardson. On October 29th, the Jets face the Atlanta Falcons which would be their eight regular season game. Which could also quite possibly be the last and final game we see Richardson in a Jets uniform.

Eight games are enough for Richardson to show he’s back to accomplish and seize the opportunity once again to become the player he once was. That is if head coach Todd Bowles decides to give him the playing time. Which, he should as Richardson is in the lineup alongside Wilkerson and All-Pro Leonard Williams, he could put up some big numbers and be a force once again on the defensive line.

The Jets could then trade the troubled star and possibly obtain what they want for him, which at first was rumored to be a first round pick, but the Jets and general manager Mike Maccagnan might let him go for even a third rounder. If Richardson’s stats are there, any contending team needing a fierce defensive lineman to bolster their lineup and wanting to make a playoff run should want to acquire him. The offers would then be coming in and the Jets troubled but talented star could be traded.

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Depending on demand, the Jets could finally end up with what they want for their former first round pick. Expect at least a third or second round choice coming to the Jets before the trade deadline this upcoming season. The dilemma is waiting until then and hoping he doesn’t once again make a dumb mistake off the field to continue hurting his trade value.