Sheldon Richardson

Broncos, Jets Discussed Sheldon Richardson

November 7th, 2016 at 6:20pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Broncos looked into acquiring defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson from the Jets in advance of last week’s trade deadline, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Ultimately, Richardson stayed in New York, but the club is likely to continue trade talks during the offseason, per Schefter.

Prior reports have indicated that the Jets also discussed Richardson with the Cowboys, who apparently made an offer for the pass rusher. Additionally, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported over the weekend that New York initially “marketed” Richardson to NFC contenders, including the Redskins, Eagles, Seahawks, and Cardinals. General manager Mike Maccagnan & Co. were said to be looking for a “very strong return,” which most rival clubs took to mean a first-round pick.

Denver’s defense, of course, already ranks as one of the league’s best, but if the unit has a weakness, it’s probably the defensive line. Richardson could have aided a front three that has already lost Vance Walker for the season, and is now set miss fellow end Derek Wolfe for an undetermined amount of time (though Wolfe’s injury obviously occurred after the trade deadline). The Broncos could also lose defensive tackle Sylvester Williams to free agency in 2017 after failing to exercise his fifth-year option.

On a related note, Richardson — as well as fellow defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson — were benched for the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Dolphins after repeatedly missing (or coming in late to) team meetings, a source tells Connor Hughes of NJ.com, who adds that the duo’s indiscretions happen “all the time.” Head coach Todd Bowles says he’s pleased with both Richardson and Wilkerson’s “level of commitment,” according to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY (Twitter link), but the story clearly won’t help the Jets’ efforts to move Richardson in the coming months.

La Canfora’s Latest: Trades, Collins, Harvin

November 6th, 2016 at 9:47am CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at the latest deluge of notes from CBS Sports scribe Jason La Canfora:

La Canfora confirms that the Eagles and 49ers had multiple discussions about a potential trade that would send Torrey Smith to Philadelphia, but the two sides could not agree on compensation. The Eagles would have sent a fifth-round selection back to the Bay Area in exchange for Smith, but the 49ers would not consider anything less than a third-round draft choice. Likewise, the Jets were asking for a “very strong return” for Sheldon Richardson, which some executives believe meant a first-round pick.
The Patriots‘ decision to deal Jamie Collins was not about money, per La Canfora, who observes that New England now has only $65.8MM in salary and cash committed to the 2017 payroll, by far the least in the NFL. Indeed, the Pats could have easily paid (or overpaid) for Collins if they really wanted to, but the trade suggests that Collins was simply not in their long-term plans. Some industry sources wonder if the trades of Collins and Chandler Jones suggest that New England is set to splurge in free agency, though it is difficult to imagine the Patriots being big spenders in March. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms that the Pats did not consider Collins to be a part of their future, and that the team was slowly turning him into a part-time player and was concerned about the locker room issues that such a transformation could create (Twitter links).
Percy Harvin was not contemplating a return to the league when he was contacted by the Bills, La Canfora reports. Instead, the Florida product was happily retired and was investigating potential business deals. Buffalo senior vice president of football administration Bill Overdorf first raised the potential addition of Harvin several weeks ago, and other Bills executives got on board when the team suffered a second consecutive loss. Harvin is expected to see at least limited action Monday night in Seattle.
La Canfora reports that Chiefs brass is fully supportive of head coach Andy Reid‘s decision to keep Alex Smith out of game action this week, despite the fact that Smith remains asymptomatic of a concussion after taking two significant blows to the head last Sunday. Smith was able to lift weights regularly and work out as he normally would this week, and by Tuesday already had been cleared by an independent neurologist. However, Reid adopted a “better safe than sorry” approach that was heralded by team executives and by the NFLPA. Smith is expected to return to full practice tomorrow, which ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirms via Twitter. Justin Houston is also expected to return next week, according to La Canfora.

AFC East Notes: Bills, McCoy, Jets, Richardson

November 4th, 2016 at 9:58am CST by Zachary Links

Bills running back LeSean McCoy returned to practice on Thursday and that could be a sign that Shady will be activated for Monday night against Seattle. McCoy was sidelined for last week’s loss to the Patriots, leaving backup Mike Gillislee in the top role.

“I feel good,” McCoy said (link via NFL.com). “First day back out here. Ran some routes. I feel a lot better today than I have.”

Coach Rex Ryan echoed those thoughts, calling McCoy’s practice “a positive sign.” So far this year, the tailback has 112 carries for 598 yards and a career-best 5.3 yards per attempt.

Here’s more from the AFC East:

Tyrod Taylor‘s unconventional five-year extension gave the Bills an escape hatch if he flopped and a team-friendly deal in the event that he became an elite quarterback. So far, neither one of those scenarios have played out and that stands to benefit Taylor, ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak writes. Without a better option, the Bills pretty much have to trigger Taylor’s $27.5MM option – barring a dramatic second half slide. And, because he hasn’t been exceptional this year, Taylor isn’t missing out on a larger payday on the open market. As Rodak notes, Taylor has been the NFL’s best running QB, totaling a league-high 319 rushing yards and 17 rushing first downs plus three rushing touchdowns. At the same time, he has completed only 58.7% of his passes.
Scouts believe that Sheldon Richardson is a better player than Muhammad Wilkerson, but the Jets brain trust believes that they are mostly interchangeable in Todd Bowles’ system, Manish Mehta of the Daily News writes. That is something to keep in mind as the Jets go into the offseason with the belief that they probably have to trade one of the two players. After Wilkerson inked a lucrative five-year extension over the summer, it seems like Richardson is more likely to go. In theory, Gang Green could try and carve out room to keep Wilkerson, Richardson, and young star Leonard Williams, but it’s clear that they need to convert that defensive line surplus into help in other areas.

Limited Trade Market For Sheldon Richardson?

November 3rd, 2016 at 1:31pm CST by Zachary Links

Prior to the trade deadline, the Jets dangled Sheldon Richardson to interested teams. Ultimately, they didn’t find the level of interest they anticipated and Richardson remains in green and white. Two GMs tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) that they expect much of the same this offseason when/if the Jets seek out trades for Richardson.

No one denies Richardson’s talent, but his off-the-field troubles are worrisome to teams, including the Cowboys who explored a deal for him earlier this week. Furthermore, Richardson is slated to hit the open market after the 2017 season and teams will only give up so much for a player that could amount to a one-year rental.

Another thing to keep in mind is that teams are generally more desperate for help at the trade deadline than they are during the offseason, when there are more options. If the Jets were unable to work out a deal for Richardson now, one has to wonder if the market could actually be weaker in the early spring. At the same time, if Richardson stays out of trouble and performs at a high level in the second half, it’s possible that his stock could be boosted.

Jets Notes: Richardson, Marshall, Fitzpatrick

November 2nd, 2016 at 5:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite the Jets passing on a Sheldon Richardson trade at Tuesday’s deadline, the sides’ long-term future is not stable. The team did not just talk to the Cowboys about a deal for Richardson but offered the fourth-year defensive end to several teams, Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News reports.

While the asking price was too high for Dallas’ liking, the Jets were ready to part with the oft-suspended defender who stands to make $8.07MM next season — the last of his rookie contract with the Jets — after Gang Green triggered his fifth-year option in May.

“You can’t just overpay for something even though you may want it and it may be tempting,” Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones said. “We just didn’t feel like the value was there in terms of the trade for us.”

Here’s more on Richardson and the latest coming out of Jets headquarters.

The mercurial pass-rusher would have been fine with a trade and sees himself as the odd man out amid the Jets’ defensive end glut. “Big business, bro,” Richardson said, via Darryl Slater of NJ.com. “It happens. That’s it. We’ve got three guys that play the same position. We’re all effective. It’s a surplus, so I’m the odd man out.” Muhammad Wilkerson occupied this status fairly recently, with perpetual contract talks going nowhere. But after the sixth-year veteran signed up long-term, it’s the player with off-the-field trouble who fits into the short-term fix category. Should Richardson be able to avoid more off-field issues in the next year-plus, he could be a top 2018 UFA. “I just want to play, and yeah, get paid my fair share,” he said. “You can’t do this forever. You want to win Super Bowls and win games and stuff like that. But you also want to make sure you can take care of your family when it’s all said and done and it’s over with.”
Richardson said he would not have wept if traded but merely gotten ready for his next game with his new team. That contrasts with Brandon Marshall, who did not want to leave the Jets. The thrice-traded wideout said, via Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter), he was “literally about to cry” if he’d heard a trade was happening. So, it’s safe to say Marshall was pleased when his agent called him Tuesday afternoon (Twitter link, via Costello) to inform of a trade not occurring. Traded from the Broncos, Dolphins and Bears, the 32-year-old Marshall will finish a second season with the Jets. He has one more season (at an affordable $7.5MM in nonguaranteed money) left on his Bears-constructed contract.
Ryan Fitzpatrick profiles as a player who is failing in a contract year, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com writes. Geno Smith tearing his ACL and younger Jets backups’ viability not yet being known could help the 33-year-old Fitzpatrick, but he’s thrown seven touchdown passes, 11 picks and is completing barely 56% of his throws. Corry also lists Stephon Gilmore and Latavius Murray among those failing to capitalize on their earning potential this season.
The Jets claimed and cut Knile Davis on Tuesday, making the latter transaction because of C.J. Spiller‘s signing.

Cowboys Made Offer For Jets’ Richardson

November 2nd, 2016 at 12:31pm CST by Zachary Links

We didn’t see any major trades go down on the actual day of the deadline, but there was still plenty of chatter leading up to the afternoon. One deal discussed was a potential trade of Sheldon Richardson to the Cowboys. Dallas made an offer, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter), but it was not to the Jets’ liking.

We heard yesterday that the Jets went from being unlikely to move Richardson to actively shopping the defensive lineman. The Cowboys got on the phone with Gang Green to discuss Richardson, an indication that they were yet again willing to roll the dice on a talented but troubled defensive lineman. Acquiring Richardson would have meant giving up something significant in the trade and also committing serious dollars to keeping him beyond 2017. Clearly, the Cowboys are still open to taking chances when it comes to improving their front seven.

Now that the deadline is over, the Cowboys will not be able to reopen Richardson talks until the offseason. In the meantime, it sounds like Dallas will be keeping close watch on the midseason free agent market for defensive line help.

Jets Actively Shopping Sheldon Richardson

November 1st, 2016 at 1:25pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets are actively shopping Sheldon Richardson as the trade deadline approaches, according to a source who spoke with Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter).

This jibes with a previous report which indicated that the Jets have approached the Cowboys about a potential deal. While we heard last week that the Jets were unlikely to move Richardson, it now appears that they have ramped things up with hours to go.

The Jets, in theory, can afford to part with Richardson as they already have Leonard Williams and Muhammad Wilkerson along the defensive line. Over the summer, it appeared that the Jets were preparing to part ways with Wilkerson so that they could give big bucks to Richardson down the line. Now, their preference may have shifted after Wilkerson inked a five-year deal worth $86MM, including $37MM in guaranteed money. The Jets exercised Richardson’s fifth-year option to keep him through 2017 at a below-market rate, but it’ll cost them if they want to retain him beyond that point.

Cowboys Interested In Richardson, Wake?

November 1st, 2016 at 1:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Could the Cowboys reach into the AFC East to bolster their defensive line? Dallas has shown interest in Dolphins defensive end/linebacker Cameron Wake, according to sources who spoke with SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter). Meanwhile, the Jets have reached out to the Cowboys to gauge their interest in Sheldon Richardson, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets.

As outlined in our 2016 NFL Trade Deadline Primer, the Jets have fielded calls of trade interest in Richardson. However, their asking price might be too high, especially considering Richardson’s behavioral issues in recent years. Interestingly, Archer’s report indicates that it is the Jets who initiated contact with the Cowboys, which could be a sign that they are warming up to the idea of trading the defensive end. Richardson would be a huge acquisition for Dallas, but they would also have to weigh their willingness to give him a long-term deal beyond 2017.

Wake has spent his entire NFL career with the Dolphins and, therefore, has never been to the playoffs. Still, he says that he won’t request a trade. At 3-4, it seems possible that Miami could move the 34-year-old, whether he wants to leave or not. The seven-year veteran made only seven appearances last season due to a torn ACL. So far this year, he has eight tackles and three sacks.

2016 NFL Trade Deadline Primer

November 1st, 2016 at 12:36pm CST by Zachary Links

The 2016 NFL trade deadline is just hours away. This is the last chance of the season for contending teams to deal for a key piece for the playoff push and final opportunity for rebuilding clubs to make a future-minded deal. This year, there are a number of players who have been mentioned in trade rumors that could be changing jerseys between now and the 4pm ET/3pm CT deadline.

Naturally, cap room will be as much of a factor for teams as their positional needs. As Albert Breer of The MMQB (Twitter links) outlines, some teams have a great deal of space to work with while others have very little. The Browns, 49ers, Jaguars, and Titans all have enough cap space to acquire just about any contract. The Chargers, Rams, and Vikings, meanwhile, all have less than $1MM of room to work with.

Historically, the NFL trade deadline hasn’t brought a ton of action, but yesterday we saw a surprise blockbuster go down when the Patriots traded linebacker Jamie Collins to the Browns. We just might be in store for more major news today.

Here’s a rundown of the big names that have been mentioned in trade rumors over the past couple of weeks:

Browns OT Joe Thomas: Thomas, a lifelong member of the Browns, has made it clear that he does not want to be traded. Coach Hue Jackson flatly said that the tackle would not be dealt between now and the deadline. Still, rival GMs aren’t so sure that top exec Sashi Brown won’t pull the trigger on a deal anyway.

The Browns remain winless and it only makes sense that the team would explore dealing Thomas for draft considerations. However, the Browns already have quite a stockpile and they even drew from that surplus yesterday to acquire linebacker Jamie Collins from the Patriots. All month long, there has been talk of Cleveland selling off its parts with an eye on 2017 and beyond. Now, one has to wonder if A. they are still inclined to sell and B. they could even look to acquire name players this afternoon.

The Giants have expressed interest in Thomas, but they get the impression that Cleveland is going to hold on to him. The Vikings, Colts, Seahawks, Cardinals, Broncos, and Patriots could also use some help up front, but it’s not clear which of those clubs have reached out. Previous reports have indicated that the Browns were seeking a second-round choice for the veteran, but teams might have to sweeten the pot further if they are truly leaning towards keeping him.

Browns CB Joe Haden: Teams are reportedly scouting Haden in advance of the deadline. Once regarded as one of the league’s best young corners, Haden has been slowed by injuries in recent years. Any team that would take on Haden and his considerable salary wants to know exactly where he stands with his ankle, hamstring, and other assorted maladies.

At the midway point of the season, Pro Football Focus has Haden ranked as the 29th best corner in the NFL. That indicates Haden is an above-average starter, but not an elite player at the position. Haden is in year two of his five-year, $67.5MM extension and a cornerback-needy team like the Dolphins could explore a deal. But, as with Thomas, it’s not clear if the Browns are willing to sell. Haden is under contract through 2019 and won’t turn 28 until April. There’s not much he can do for the Browns in 2016, but he could still be a vital piece going forward.

In related news, the Browns are reportedly open to trading fellow corner Tramon Williams. The Packers are thin at cornerback and a reunion would make a lot of sense.

49ers WR Torrey Smith: The Eagles have major issues at wide receiver and they have reportedly reached out to the 49ers to discuss Torrey Smith. For the record, the Eagles claim they’re not pursuing a trade for a receiver and one report indicated that the Niners aren’t shopping anyone. But, the Eagles’ receiver issues are very real and the 1-6 49ers surely have to be thinking about trades.

Smith is in the midst of a five-year, $40MM deal with $22MM guaranteed. So far, he hasn’t really wowed anyone in San Francisco and this could be their best opportunity to bail on that contract, if they are so inclined. At the same time, it’s hard to expect much out of Smith this season when considering SF’s offensive struggles and turbulence under center. This is a situation to keep an eye on, but Smith might not be going anywhere.

49ers OT Joe Staley: Staley, predictably, has a similar potential market to Thomas. And, just like Thomas, his team has denied the trade rumors surrounding him.

Reportedly, San Francisco wants a first-round pick in exchange for the five-time Pro Bowler. Staley, 32, is signed through the 2019 season. This season, he has a $5.4MM base salary but that climbs to $8.25MM in 2017. In the final two years of the deal, Staley’s base drops back down to $4.8MM in each season.

Pro Football Focus has Staley in a four-way tie at No. 22 in their current rankings for this season. Clearly, the 32-year-old is still a starting-caliber player and he could still be worthwhile at his salaries over the next three years. San Francisco could benefit from turning Staley into a 2017 draft choice, but they could also elect to hang on to the experienced veteran to anchor their line beyond this season.

Bears WR Alshon Jeffery: Speaking of wide receivers, Alshon Jeffery’s name has come up quite a bit in recent weeks. The latest word is that the Bears are not expected to trade him, but it stands to reason that the Bears will at least listen to offers.

Jeffery is currently playing on the franchise tender and the Bears are unlikely to use the tender for a second time at an increased rate. Meanwhile, if they want to retain him on a long-term deal, they’ll have to pay him as much (or more than) stars like Julio Jones, Demaryius Thomas, and Dez Bryant. Our sense is that Jeffery will not be changing uniforms today, but GM Ryan Pace‘s phone line will be open.

Cowboys RB Darren McFadden: At one time, Darren McFadden was expected to be the franchise face of the Raiders. A few years later, McFadden is in Dallas and still waiting to make his 2016 debut. The running back had surgery on his broken elbow this offseason and is currently on the NFI list. Dallas is willing to trade the veteran, but they’re reportedly going to want something of value in return.

The Cowboys don’t have a clear need for McFadden right now as rookie Ezekiel Elliott continues to thrive and former Redskins notable Alfred Morris stands as the No. 2 running back on the depth chart. However, as the league investigates the domestic abuse accusations levied against Elliott, the Cowboys may want to hang on to McFadden for depth. In theory, teams like the Packers, Chiefs, and Dolphins could have interest in McFadden, but we have yet to hear about specific clubs who are after the 29-year-old.

Jets WR Brandon Marshall: After a disastrous 1-5 start, trade speculation immediately began swirling around the Jets. That trade talk naturally included 32-year-old Brandon Marshall, one of the most talented wide receivers in the league. Now at 3-5, the Jets aren’t entirely out of the playoff picture (though a playoff berth is still unlikely) and Marshall says that he wants to stay put.

“I love the ownership,” Marshall said. “I’m about to say the opposite of what Ryan Fitzpatrick said. I love my coaches. I love my teammates. To be honest, I like [the media], which is tough. I really do. I want to finish what we started here. We’re not out of it. We’re going to continue to fight, rally the troops, and get this team on the right track.”

Any team that acquired Marshall would be responsible for the balance of his 2016 $9.5MM base salary, and then would effectively have an option for the 2017 campaign. Marshall is under contract for $7.5MM next season, but a club wouldn’t incur any dead money by releasing him. The Eagles would be a logical landing spot for the 6’4″ receiver but it’s not clear whether they have reached out to Gang Green.

Jets DL Sheldon Richardson: The Jets have received trade interest in Richardson, but at least one source tells Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday that he is unlikely to moved. “He is a two-strike guy, so [the Jets] won’t get what they want,” the source told Martin, referencing Richardson’s suspensions).

Richardson is under contract through 2017 and there’s no guarantee that the Jets will hang on to him beyond that. Already, the Jets are pretty loaded on the defensive line thanks to second-year standout Leonard Williams and the recently extended Muhammad Wilkerson. Still, a team will have to mean the Jets’ asking price in order to pry away Richardson, a player who has demonstrated that he can be an elite defensive end. Given his off-the-field issues, teams might be wary of giving up too much for him.

The Cowboys have reportedly discussed Richardson with the Jets, though their level of interest is not exactly clear at this time. The latest word is that the Jets are actually shopping Richardson.

Photos courtesy of PFR on Instagram and USA Today Sports Images.

AFC East Notes: Dolphins, Alonso, Jets, Patriots

October 31st, 2016 at 10:40am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Dolphins are hoping to keep linebacker Kiko Alonso for the 2017 season, but are wary that he may receive an “uncomfortably high offer” as a restricted free agent next March, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Because Alonso spent his entire sophomore season on the NFI list, he won’t be eligible for unrestricted free agency until 2018, and Miami could re-sign him via a RFA tender. A first-round tender will likely cost ~$4MM, but that could be a price the Dolphins are willing to pay. In his first season in Miami, Alonso has started all seven games while posting 34 tackles and two fumble recoveries.

Here’s more from the AFC East:

Dion Jordan told Jackson that his second knee procedure was a result of “trying to too hard to come back too soon,” and also admitted that he isn’t sure when he’ll be back on the field (though Jordan does think he can return during the 2016 season). Jordan, who now sits at 275 pounds, is fully committed to playing defensive end for the Dolphins, and realizes that outside linebacker isn’t an option at his current weight. The 26-year-old is on the non-football injury list at the moment, and Miami hasn’t given any hint that Jordan is still in their plans for this season, or beyond.
While the Jets have received trade interest in defensive end Sheldon Richardson, as least one source tells Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday that Richardson is unlikely to moved. “He is a two-strike guy, so [the Jets] won’t get what they want,” the source told Martin (referencing Richardson’s suspensions), but did confirm the pass-rusher’s name “is out there.” Richardson himself also commented on the rumors, and didn’t seemed surprised his name was being bandied about. “It’s big business. That’s what it is,” he told Martin. “We’ve got a surplus of defensive linemen that are capable of being starters. And they drafted [Leonard Williams], paid [Muhammad Wilkerson]…So we’ll see.”
The Patriots had discussed an A.J. Derby trade with the Broncos before the regular season began, so the two side had a basis on which to build when they ultimately struck a deal to send the tight end to Denver last week, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes. The Broncos had been interested in Derby as far back as the 2015 draft, but New England wasn’t ready to move him earlier this year. The Patriots were able to recoup a fifth-round pick for Derby, which Reiss reports was viewed as a strong return around the league.

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