Report: Richardson Claims Seahawks, Redskins Requested pay cut to Facilitate Trade

[JetNation]

 

Manish Mehta of the New York Daily news is reporting that during a sit down interview with Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson, the highly talented defender opened up about the team’s efforts to trade him last season, naming a pair of teams that showed a very real interest in his services.

“It’s a business, bro,” Richardson told the Daily News during a lengthy and open discussion about his future. “There was one team that asked me to take a pay cut … and it was Seattle. And Washington too. There were a lot of offers. A lot of good offers. You’d be surprised.”

Richardson remains one of the most polarizing players on the Jets roster as somebody who is easily a top three talent on this team, but whose off-field issues make him a risk to miss significant time should there be any additional transgressions.

Don’t be surprised if Jets GM Mike Maccganan re-visits the option of trading Richardson before the deadline again this year, as he did this year, if Richardson is indeed playing at a level that would make teams more amenable to parting with a higher draft pick, without asking Richardson to take a pay cut.

 

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[Gas2No99]

Jets’ Sheldon Richardson reveals Seahawks and Washington wanted to trade for him ... but at a discount

The Jets’ willingness to trade Sheldon Richardson for the better part of a year is sheer lunacy by an outfit that needs as much premium talent as it can get these days.

It makes little sense.

It’s downright absurd that an organization devoid of difference makers would be amenable to part with such a special talent, who practices hard during the week and plays harder on Sundays.

Richardson isn’t Muhammad Wilkerson, who team insiders say “takes a lot of plays off.”

The consensus on One Jets Drive: Richardson eats, breathes and lives football. At 26, he’s only now entering the prime of his career.

There’s an important faction within the building that wants Richardson to be a part of the organization’s rebuilding process, but general manager Mike Maccagnan seriously entertained trade offers during the draft.

Sources say that teams tried to low-ball the Jets to land the former Pro Bowl defensive lineman. For the first time, Richardson revealed details of the trade talks this offseason that included suitors that wanted him to play for less than his guaranteed $8.1 million salary as part of a fifth-year option.

(Al Bello/Getty Images)

“It’s a business, bro,” Richardson told the Daily News during a lengthy and open discussion about his future. “There was one team that asked me to take a pay cut ... and it was Seattle. And Washington too. There were a lot of offers. A lot of good offers. You’d be surprised.”

It’s strange to think that the Jets would trade Richardson, the 2013 Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2014 Pro Bowler, during the season or let him walk in free agency given that the organization is hoping to build a young core.

Team insiders expressed some level of concern about Richardson’s lax outlook on weight lifting sessions and his outspokenness about playing out of position in the past, but made it clear that it’s smart business to keep your best players. Richardson obviously is one of the team’s most talented players.

Richardson’s off-field transgressions (failed marijuana test and high-speed chase) have prompted some to suggest that getting rid of him would be addition by subtraction. That’s laughable.

Trading Richardson would be foolish. Trading Richardson for 50 cents on the dollar would be idiocy. Signing Richardson to a long-term deal after this season if he returns to Pro Bowl form makes the most sense regardless of the loaded defensive line that includes Williams and Wilkerson, who could be cut with minimal financial damage if he underperforms in 2017.

Remember, the Jets won 10 games in 2015 partly because of their formidable defensive line.

Sheldon Richardson

(Paul Jasienski/AP)

“That’s their decision,” Richardson said of getting a lucrative long-term contract from the Jets after the season. “Would I pay me? I’d pay me ... I would (keep Williams, Wilkerson and him), because you can save money in other places with a stout defensive line.”

Todd Bowles recently said that Richardson is “in a peaceful place” after the turbulence that defined parts of his past two seasons. Richardson is on the doorstep of landing a monster payday if he delivers in 2017, but insists that he doesn’t feel additional pressure to perform so he can cash in.

“I play football,” Richardson said. “Been playing it since I was five. No pressure at all ... Cashing in means you’re almost done. I’m still grinding. Even if I do get a big deal, I’m still grinding. Some guys do throw the towel (after they get paid)… I’m not going to do that.”

Richardson’s confidence hasn’t been shaken despite his poor statistical season (1 1/2 sacks, 62 tackles). For a variety of reasons, he knows he’s still a difference maker of the highest order no matter what the 2016 numbers said.

“Ask other offensive linemen,” Richardson said with a smile. “You know my opinion. In my opinion, I’m the best defensive lineman in the league. That’s my opinion. You can’t go draft a d-lineman and then ask him to play outside linebacker, middle linebacker all in the same season. It’s just don’t work like that.”

People at all levels of the organization will tell you that Richardson is one of the hardest workers on the field. Nobody in the building loves the game more than he does. He doesn’t need or want to prove anything. He didn’t want to prove anything coming out of Missouri four years ago, either.

Sheldon Richardson has a simple philosophy about football: 'See ball. Hit ball.'

“I ain’t got to prove sh--,” Richardson said. “I didn’t have to prove a damn thing. I knew I was cold. ... I didn’t have to prove nothing.”

Cold?

“Cold. Tight. Raw. Great. Dominant. Elite,” he continued. “What do you want me to say? I don’t want to toot my own horn. But I knew I was good coming out of college. I knew I was going to be a force to reckon with. Football ain’t changed for me. I learned a little bit more as far as the technique part and how offensive coordinators attack certain defenses. Looking at plays before they develop. I’ve been doing that since high school. Ain’t nothing changed for me. See ball. Hit ball.”

Anyone who believes that Richardson’s statistics told his story last season didn’t pay close enough attention. Richardson’s athleticism coupled with a stacked defensive line prompted Bowles to move him around in his defense. The versatile lineman played a little outside linebacker and even inside linebacker.

Defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers said the plan is to keep Richardson at his natural three-technique position (lining up on the outside shoulder of the guard) in 2017, which should cause a statistical spike. Rather than playing outside-in and funneling traffic back inside for his defensive line mates and linebackers to make tackles, Richardson will be playing inside-out again, shooting the gap and causing havoc.

“We’ll see, because it ain’t set in stone,” Richardson said of exclusively playing three-technique. “They want me to stay at three-technique, but it ain’t set in stone. That’s what they want to do. But what we got to do to win ... You never know.”

No matter what happens, Richardson, who dropped 15 pounds this offseason, remains undaunted by the chatter that he might not finish the season here. He wants to be a part of the solution for this star-crossed franchise. He’ll do his part for as long as he can.

It would be an epic blunder to let him go.

[dbatesman]

Manish is such a ******* infant. I wish him ill.

[AFJF]

As a whole, this article reads a lot like some of the other recent "pay me" interviews that players have done.  

Revis, Wilkerson and Sheldon almost never address the media.  Yet when he was wanting his new deal, Mo did a long-form sit down interview with Brian Costello last year so Costello could tell us how hard Mo was working and how he was recovering from an injury.

When Revis realized he was in jeopardy of being released, he does a public interview, saying the Jets should "be classy" and keep him around despite a clearly bloated salary.

Now, it looks like Sheldon's agents have agreed to give Manish an exclusive interview in exchange for glowing reviews and accusations that the Jets would be crazy to let him go.

 

[AFJF]

Another thing this article does is show that perhaps the reason Mac hasn't dealt Sheldon, is because of Sheldon.  If Mac had a deal in place and teams wanted to make sure Sheldon would take a pay cut before pulling the trigger, his refusal could've nixed any potential deal.

[chirorob]

Teams want him to take a pay cut, but he will want 15 million a year next year.

[Bleedin Green]

17 minutes ago, dbatesman said:

Manish is such a ******* infant. I wish him ill.

I seriously couldn't get through more than a few sentences of that nonsensical "article".  There's plenty of things to hate this team for, it's really quite easy, but his spewing is painful to even try to read.  He writes as if throwing a temper tantrum.

[AFJF]

10 minutes ago, chirorob said:

Teams want him to take a pay cut, but he will want 15 million a year next year.

With money on the line, if the Jets keep him as a 3-technique, I have no doubt he'll have a monster season and become one of the highest paid D-linemen in the NFL.

[chirorob]

1 minute ago, AFJF said:

With money on the line, if the Jets keep him as a 3-technique, I have no doubt he'll have a monster season and become one of the highest paid D-linemen in the NFL.

But, would you give it to him, and expect him to stay at that level after getting paid?

[dbatesman]

9 minutes ago, Bleedin Green said:

He writes as if throwing a temper tantrum.

This x1000

[AFJF]

2 minutes ago, chirorob said:

But, would you give it to him, and expect him to stay at that level after getting paid?

Honestly, I'm glad I'm not Mac, having to make that decision because I don't know what I'd do.

If Sheldon stays out of trouble this season and plays great, that's a few years without any real issues that could get him suspended, so maybe he still acts like a clown, but understands he needs to stay out of trouble.

He's always played hard, but he's also always been very honesty in saying that he's playing hard to get the big payday.  Does that mean he'll lay down after a big pay day, or will he keep playing hard to get another bigger pay day in 4-5 years?

My gut tells me they trade him before the deadline if he's having a monster season and wash their hand of him.

[Jetdawgg]

8 minutes ago, chirorob said:

But, would you give it to him, and expect him to stay at that level after getting paid?

I think that SR wants to win here with the Jets. He is absolutely the best 1st Rd pick from Idiotzik. Can't let him get away for nothing or trade him for cheap. If it comes to hi. Or Mo Wilk, I keep SR. He is also younger than Mo.

[Jet Nut]

10 minutes ago, chirorob said:

But, would you give it to him, and expect him to stay at that level after getting paid?

I do.  Nothing about his checkered past says he takes the easy way out on the field or is looking to cash out and lay down

[chirorob]

1 minute ago, Jet Nut said:

I do.  Nothing about his checkered past says he takes the easy way out on the field or is looking to cash out and lay down

 

5 minutes ago, Jetdawgg said:

I think that SR wants to win here with the Jets. He is absolutely the best 1st Rd pick from Idiotzik. Can't let him get away for nothing or trade him for cheap. If it comes to hi. Or Mo Wilk, I keep SR. He is also younger than Mo.

 

6 minutes ago, AFJF said:

Honestly, I'm glad I'm not Mac, having to make that decision because I don't know what I'd do.

If Sheldon stays out of trouble this season and plays great, that's a few years without any real issues that could get him suspended, so maybe he still acts like a clown, but understands he needs to stay out of trouble.

He's always played hard, but he's also always been very honesty in saying that he's playing hard to get the big payday.  Does that mean he'll lay down after a big pay day, or will he keep playing hard to get another bigger pay day in 4-5 years?

My gut tells me they trade him before the deadline if he's having a monster season and wash their hand of him.

If you keep him, you are getting rid of Mo.  If Mo is still dogging it, or still hurt, or whatever, then fine, he needs to go.

Any team can only have a handful of 14-18 million dollar players.   For me, I don't make Sheldon one of those players. 

On a side note, if I see him playing middle linebacker, or any other crap, I am going to go to the stadium and kick Bowles in the nuts.   It won't be hard to get in, I'll be the only person wearing green there.   You have 3 DE, just rotate them.   I'm sure the offense won't control the ball enough where all 3 can't get plenty of reps.

 

[Beerfish]

"Trading Richardson would be foolish. Trading Richardson for 50 cents on the dollar would be idiocy. Signing Richardson to a long-term deal after this season if he returns to Pro Bowl form makes the most sense regardless of the loaded defensive line that includes Williams and Wilkerson, who could be cut with minimal financial damage if he underperforms in 2017. "

Moron, we just watched one of the bobbsie twins take a year off and float after getting paid when he was inconsistent earlier in his career and now we want to do the same thing with a guy who is even more likely to loaf or get suspended after getting paid.

I've said this for two years now, Shel rich will have a huge year this year due to it being his contract year.  He will get stats, be impactful and will behave well.  Once he gets paid he will be a problem.  Let some other team overpay this dude and then regret it.

 

 

[Beerfish]

9 minutes ago, Jetdawgg said:

I think that SR wants to win here with the Jets. He is absolutely the best 1st Rd pick from Idiotzik. Can't let him get away for nothing or trade him for cheap. If it comes to hi. Or Mo Wilk, I keep SR. He is also younger than Mo.

Mo was a choir boy and once he got paid he loafed and played like sh*t, what is going to happen when a guy with real issues gets paid?

[Integrity28]

Sheldon is still a top 3 talent on this roster. I don't care if he's a putz, put him on the field the right way and unleash him. Then, if you insist on being the organization that jettisons the minute handful of good players they actually draft, try to get something of value for him after he's been great.

[Jet Nut]

Just now, chirorob said:

If you keep him, you are getting rid of Mo.  If Mo is still dogging it, or still hurt, or whatever, then fine, he needs to go.

Any team can only have a handful of 14-18 million dollar players.   For me, I don't make Sheldon one of those players. 

On a side note, if I see him playing middle linebacker, or any other crap, I am going to go to the stadium and kick Bowles in the nuts.   It won't be hard to get in, I'll be the only person wearing green there.   You have 3 DE, just rotate them.   I'm sure the offense won't control the ball enough where all 3 can't get plenty of reps.

 

Well where he plays and who goes is a different story than whether he dogs it after getting his payday.

I can see it working with a reborn Mo, and think he easily is a 14 mil per player given what others have gotten.  I've never had an issue with his on field efforts.

[Integrity28]

11 minutes ago, Jetdawgg said:

I think that SR wants to win here with the Jets. He is absolutely the best 1st Rd pick from Idiotzik. Can't let him get away for nothing or trade him for cheap. If it comes to hi. Or Mo Wilk, I keep SR. He is also younger than Mo.

sh*t, he's one of the best 1st round picks in the history of this franchise.

[Jet Nut]

6 minutes ago, Beerfish said:

"Trading Richardson would be foolish. Trading Richardson for 50 cents on the dollar would be idiocy. Signing Richardson to a long-term deal after this season if he returns to Pro Bowl form makes the most sense regardless of the loaded defensive line that includes Williams and Wilkerson, who could be cut with minimal financial damage if he underperforms in 2017. "

Moron, we just watched one of the bobbsie twins take a year off and float after getting paid when he was inconsistent earlier in his career and now we want to do the same thing with a guy who is even more likely to loaf or get suspended after getting paid.

I've said this for two years now, Shel rich will have a huge year this year due to it being his contract year.  He will get stats, be impactful and will behave well.  Once he gets paid he will be a problem.  Let some other team overpay this dude and then regret it.

 

 

Or Mo was more likely injured.  But you know all of these guys will bomb after getting paid.  Forget how good he has been on the field get rid of him because of something thats not a fact.  Or that they can pay both, easily

He does everything hes asked to do.  He plays where he knows hes not meant to play in order to help the team and doesnt dog it.  Plays hard.  But he will down the road.  

[AFJF]

3 minutes ago, chirorob said:

 

 

If you keep him, you are getting rid of Mo.  If Mo is still dogging it, or still hurt, or whatever, then fine, he needs to go.

Any team can only have a handful of 14-18 million dollar players.   For me, I don't make Sheldon one of those players. 

On a side note, if I see him playing middle linebacker, or any other crap, I am going to go to the stadium and kick Bowles in the nuts.   It won't be hard to get in, I'll be the only person wearing green there.   You have 3 DE, just rotate them.   I'm sure the offense won't control the ball enough where all 3 can't get plenty of reps.

 

As long as there's no big money QB, they can afford both Sheldon and Mo.  If they gave Sheldon $15 millin next season, they'd still be $65 million under the cap.  They'll have enough cap room to get creative and make it work.  

It's only "worth" doing if Mo, Sheldon and Leo finally come out and play to their full potential and completely dominate.  Anything less and you let him go.

[nycdan]

1 minute ago, AFJF said:

As long as there's no big money QB, they can afford both Sheldon and Mo.  If they gave Sheldon $15 millin next season, they'd still be $65 million under the cap.  They'll have enough cap room to get creative and make it work.  

It's only "worth" doing if Mo, Sheldon and Leo finally come out and play to their full potential and completely dominate.  Anything less and you let him go.

If you're supposedly one of the 32 best defensive minds in the game (which our DC should be in a perfect world), design a defense where all 3 can be on the field at the same time for some plays and be fully effective (aka completely dominate).  They have the talent.  Perhaps they don't all fit together into a classic defensive formation, but I'd like to think that it's not impossible to make it work.  Because if you can unleash all three to their full potential, it would be like watching GoT on our defensive snaps.  And we could all enjoy a bit more of that.

[ASH1962]

34 minutes ago, AFJF said:

With money on the line, if the Jets keep him as a 3-technique, I have no doubt he'll have a monster season and become one of the highest paid D-linemen in the NFL.

I am sure Giants or Pats fans will love him in blue next season.

[Bugg]

The NFLPA, despite being knuckleheads about most important player-related issues like guaranteed contracts, vesting of pensions and long term medical care, nonetheless are on the one issue of players voluntarily taking pay cuts mid contract very much opposed . It happens, but it's very unusual. On one hand,Richardson is not splitting the atom, but on the other  if Cimini or some other beat writer puts a mike in his office, he is not sharp enough to keep his yap shut. And in this instance-SURPRISE!-he makes no sense at all again. Not faulting the poster or anyone else, but we figure to have a lot of Richardson threads because he is  remarkably stupid guy who doesn't  know when to shut the f___ up. Unless he has some kind of super human season he is well on his way to being a JAG. He is never seeing that big payday.

"The consensus on One Jets Drive: Richardson eats, breathes and lives football." THEY REALLY THINK THIS? after how many phone calls they have received late at night after Shel effed up again. If true-and this is Cimimi, so add Great Salt Lake and the Dead Sea together- FIRE THEM ALL TODAY.  Drafting and overpaying the likes of Sheldon Richardson at the expense of your offense every draft is how the Jets got here. 

[rex-n-effect]

4 minutes ago, nycdan said:

If you're supposedly one of the 32 best defensive minds in the game (which our DC should be in a perfect world), design a defense where all 3 can be on the field at the same time for some plays and be fully effective (aka completely dominate).  They have the talent.  Perhaps they don't all fit together into a classic defensive formation, but I'd like to think that it's not impossible to make it work.  Because if you can unleash all three to their full potential, it would be like watching GoT on our defensive snaps.  And we could all enjoy a bit more of that.

Isn't that what happens when they put Richardson at OLB?

[Beerfish]

23 minutes ago, Jet Nut said:

Or Mo was more likely injured.  But you know all of these guys will bomb after getting paid.  Forget how good he has been on the field get rid of him because of something thats not a fact.  Or that they can pay both, easily

He does everything hes asked to do.  He plays where he knows hes not meant to play in order to help the team and doesnt dog it.  Plays hard.  But he will down the road.  

Well two things, '

If he was still injured still then it was idiotic to pay him.

Being 'injured' has zero to do with missing or being late from practices and such.

[chirorob]

20 minutes ago, AFJF said:

As long as there's no big money QB, they can afford both Sheldon and Mo.  If they gave Sheldon $15 millin next season, they'd still be $65 million under the cap.  They'll have enough cap room to get creative and make it work.  

It's only "worth" doing if Mo, Sheldon and Leo finally come out and play to their full potential and completely dominate.  Anything less and you let him go.

You can, but why?  They can't all dominate at the same time, and they can't put a ton of heat on the QB.  I guess, if you went 4-3, and moved Sheldon and Leo inside, and found a right DE.  But, they don't have a pass rushing RDE.

[bostonmajet]

seems to me like the Jets have a win-win-win... type of thing going. If Sheldon has a bad year they let him walk and don't owe him a thing. If he has a great year they can a) trade him, b. let him walk and they get a compensatory pick (probably a third), c. if he outplays wilk, they can trade or let wilk walk and sign sheldon with the wilk money.

[Jet Nut]

7 minutes ago, Beerfish said:

Well two things, '

If he was still injured still then it was idiotic to pay him.

Being 'injured' has zero to do with missing or being late from practices and such.

Youre right, rehabbing players are never signed.  Guys like Mo, Brees etc are mistakes.

And being late to a practice has nothing to do with dogging it on the field.  

[Tony MaC]

4 minutes ago, bostonmajet said:

seems to me like the Jets have a win-win-win... type of thing going. If Sheldon has a bad year they let him walk and don't owe him a thing. If he has a great year they can a) trade him, b. let him walk and they get a compensatory pick (probably a third), c. if he outplays wilk, they can trade or let wilk walk and sign sheldon with the wilk money.

those are the options on the table as far as I'm concerned. We cannot re-sign Richardson and keep Wilkerson, its not sound cap management.

As of now I'm keeping Sheldon on the trade block and looking for a third round comp pick next year unless Wilkerson shows last year wasn't a fluke. 

[SR24]

Put this guy in his natural position and he's the best player on the roster. Period. 

[Jetdawgg]

2 hours ago, Beerfish said:

Mo was a choir boy and once he got paid he loafed and played like sh*t, what is going to happen when a guy with real issues gets paid?

How do you eliminate risk from any transaction?

[Beerfish]

9 minutes ago, Jetdawgg said:

How do you eliminate risk from any transaction?

Past behavior indicates future behavior in many cases.  Especially when a guy is one slip from a one year suspension.

[Jetdawgg]

7 minutes ago, Beerfish said:

Past behavior indicates future behavior in many cases.  Especially when a guy is one slip from a one year suspension.

People change all the time. He paid his dues. If the Jets don't pay him another team will. The Jets will lose a unlit you player and may get a draft choice. The draft choice may not turn out to be anything either

[varjet]

3 hours ago, Beerfish said:

Moron, we just watched one of the bobbsie twins take a year off and float after getting paid when he was inconsistent earlier in his career and now we want to do the same thing with a guy who is even more likely to loaf or get suspended after getting paid.

I've said this for two years now, Shel rich will have a huge year this year due to it being his contract year.  He will get stats, be impactful and will behave well.  Once he gets paid he will be a problem.  Let some other team overpay this dude and then regret it.

 

 

NFL second contracts is perilous business.

In a perfect world, you draft well, have players play for their second contract, and then you let them go.

A good GM knows the players that will stay well-behaved and healthy and give them second contracts.

These DLs are notorious for pooping out on their second contracts.

Let's say the right price for SR is 15/year.  Someone who needs to be motivated would get a 3 year, 45mm contract, with 20 guaranteed so long as they stay out of jail.

At the second year, you can cut them for a 5mm hit, but presumably they are playing well enough to warrant keeping them.  If they do well, you extend the contract every year.  

Giving these guys too much guaranteed money is lunacy.  The game is too hard.  Once you get paid, very few are dedicated enough to keep at it.  Players should get paid highly for their entertainment value, but contracts should be structured so they earn it.