3. Sheldon Richardson, defensive line, New York Jets
With the Jets having committed $86 million over five seasons to fellow defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson, it is going to be pretty darn difficult for the team to dole out top-end money to Richardson while improving the rest of a talent-stricken and aging roster.
Richardson, a first-round pick of the team back in 2013, has played himself into a huge contract. He’s also been bandied about as trade bait in the recent past. With an $8 million cap hit for 2017 and no dead money, the Jets are in a prime position to get something of substance for the former Pro Bowler.
What makes Richardson such an attractive option on the trade market is that he’s not scheme-dependent. Here’s a guy that can play on the outside in a 3-4 while moving inside in a 4-3. This means that every defensive line-needy team could use him. He’s not limited. That’s huge, especially when it comes to what the Jets will need in return to move him.
Richardson put up 62 tackles and just 1.5 sacks this past season. Though, he remains one of the top run-stuffing defensive linemen in the game. In fact, the 26-year-old has to be considered one of the primary reasons New York’s defense finished in the top 10 against the run this past season.
Look for a solid market to play out here before the upcoming draft. Should that happen, the Jets may be willing to swap Richardson for either a late first or early second-round pick. If so, multiple teams will come calling.