Seahawks land Sheldon Richardson in trade with Jets
The Seattle Seahawks have added another talented pass rusher to an already formidable front.
The Seahawks acquired defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson in a trade with the New York Jets on Friday, both teams confirmed. The Jets obtained wide receiver Jermaine Kearse and the Seahawks' second-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft in the deal. The teams will also swap seventh-round selections.
Richardson was a Pro Bowl selection in 2014 after recording eight sacks with the Jets. But he has just 6 1/2 sacks in the last two years, including 1 1/2 in 2016, after being bounced around and playing outside linebacker. The Jets had been looking to move him for a year, as he is set to earn $8.1 million guaranteed in the final year of his contract.
Richardson also has been suspended twice for off the field incidents. He missed the first four games of the 2015 season for violating the league's substance abuse policy and the first game of the 2016 season for violating the league's personal conduct policy stemming from a 2015 arrest.
In Seattle, Richardson adds an interior threat to a pass rush that includes standouts Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril and Frank Clark off the edge. The group had 42 sacks in 2016.
Kearse, meanwhile, will aid a Jets receiver corps depleted by the release of Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker as well as a season-ending injury to leading target Quincy Enunwa. He recorded 41 catches for 511 yards and one touchdown.
The Bergen (N.J.) Record, part of the Paste BN Network, contributed to this report.
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