New York Jets: Does Sheldon Richardson deserve a long-term contract?

Former Pro-Bowler Sheldon Richardson of the New York Jets is coming off his worst NFL season last year, but should he be offered a long-term contract?

It was a year to forget for Sheldon Richardson. The talented but troubled New York Jets defensive lineman had the worst season of his NFL career in 2016 with just 1.5 sacks in 15 games. It’s no secret that the Jets have been trying to trade him for a long time now.

A former first-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft (13th overall), Richardson is slated to make $8.1 million this upcoming season on a fifth-year team option. It’s a critical season for Richardson, who becomes a free agent in 2018. Should New York sign him to a long-term pact or deal him?

You might think that the University of Missouri product would welcome a trade from New York, a team that is in full-blown rebuilding mode with little chance to compete for a playoff berth this year.

Quite the opposite is true as he explained to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News:

"I got drafted here … me and New York got a little edge to us both,” the refreshingly outspoken defensive lineman said. “I hate losing. They hate losing. I hate it. I hate it with a passion. But I want to turn it around here. That’s it for me, man. I started here. I want to finish here. That’s how I think about it. It ain’t in my power as far as that (happening) though.”"

That’s certainly true. He could still be traded. However, it might be in the Jets’ best interests to keep him for a variety of reasons.

First and foremost, Richardson is still just 26 years old and entering the prime of his career. Secondly, he is immensely talented — he was the 2013 NFL AP Defensive Rookie of the Year and a member of that season’s NFL All-Rookie Team. He earned a Pro Bowl berth in 2014 with a career-high eight sacks and he was one of the best run-stoppers in the league.

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In addition to that, with free agency looming for Richardson, his incentive to perform at a high level should never be greater than in 2017. If he plays well, his trade value should improve leading up to the NFL trade deadline. The Jets would then have the option of dealing Richardson for a better draft pick than they would receive presently or they could take a chance and ink him to a long-term contract.

Signing Richardson to a long-term pact would come with some risk though.  As Jets fans can attest, the 6-3, 294-pounder is certainly no boy scout. In July 2015, Richardson was suspended for the first four games of the 2015 campaign for failing the NFL’s substance abuse policy relating to marijuana.

Later that same month, the St. Louis, MO native was arrested and charged with resisting arrest and traffic violations in St. Charles County, Missouri. He was later found guilty of reckless driving and resisting arrest in Jan. 2016 and was fined $1,050, received two years of probation and was ordered to serve 100 hours of community service.

The Jets would be best served to see how Richardson performs this season leading up to the trade deadline. If he performs at high level, which he’s done in the past, then general manager Mike Maccagnan should seriously consider signing Richardson to a long-term deal. He’s that talented. He just has to keep his head on straight. If he does, Gang Green will reap the benefits of his enormous ability.

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Richardson would like to be in New York when the Jets turn things around and become a playoff threat again. Whether he remains a Jet for the entire 2017 campaign will be one of the more interesting scenarios of this upcoming football season in New York.