With the Deadline Approaching, Jets in the Spotlight
With the trade deadline less than 24 hours away, there is bound to be noise around the league, and one of the teams at the center of that noise might be the New York Jets. The NFL usually doesn’t see as many blockbuster moves as other sports do, but there are some big names swirling around the league. Two of these names are Sheldon Richardson and Brandon Marshall, and with the Jets sitting at 3-5, they seem to be likely guys to be packing their bags. While management in New York still has its eyes on a possible run to the wildcard, realistically this season is a disappointment for the Jets, and they should try to salvage what they can before it’s too late. The Jets should try to move Richardson if they can find the right price, but they need to make sure Marshall stays put.
The Case for Richardson
Many believe Sheldon Richardson is the best defensive player on the Jets’ roster, but he seems like the odd man out on this defensive line. The Jets have switched back and forth between 4-3 and 3-4 fronts, and the 3-4 has been almost exclusively Mo Wilkerson, Steve McLendon, and Leonard Williams. McLendon is the only true interior defensive lineman, Williams has a few years to go on his rookie contract, and Wilkerson was just signed to a long-term deal, meaning if the Jets continue to play a 3-4 defense, there’s no room for Richardson to make a big enough impact to deserve a contract extension. He’s set to become a free agent either this season or next, depending on whether or not the Jets choose to exercise the one-year team option for more than $8-million in guaranteed money.
The biggest sign that Richardson might be out the door is his recent positioning. Bowles can’t seem to find a way to get Richardson on the field in a position to make plays. He tried him out at linebacker, which proved to be troublesome, as while Richardson has great speed for his size, he simply wasn’t fast enough to catch up to running backs on the sideline. Richardson seemed to enjoy playing linebacker, but he isn’t worth the money at a position that he can’t play effectively. Bowles seemed to realize that this project wasn’t working, as Richardson barely saw the field at all this week in Cleveland, registering no tackles. Maybe this was an effort by Bowles to keep him healthy to package him in a deal, but it doesn’t seem like the way the Jets are using Richardson warrants big money.
The biggest reason the Jets should get rid of Richardson is that the market is as big now as it’s going to get. Richardson has been suspended for five games over the past two years, between his positive test for marijuana and his reckless driving charge, so another suspension would remove all value. Guys like Josh Gordon and Martavis Bryant have fallen victim to the league’s drug policy over the past few years and paid the price for it, so it’s important to not have Richardson stick around and risk a third charge, one that could result in a yearlong suspension. There are teams out there that could really use Richardson’s talent. The Cowboys sit atop the NFC East, but there is concern about Dallas being able to match up in the playoffs against top defenses with a mediocre one of their own. Richardson could help solve that problem. The Giants are another team that could use Richardson’s talent to strengthen a defensive line that features former Jet Damon Harrison. While the Patriots only getting a compensatory third round pick from the Browns in exchange for Jamie Collins doesn’t help the Jets with Richardson, New York should be able to get a first or second round pick for the former Rookie of the Year.
Marshall has been a major presence in the Jets' locker room, and trading him would be a mistake for a roster that relies on his production on and off the field.
Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
The Case Against Marshall
While Marshall’s value was sky high coming into this season off arguably the best of his career, he hasn’t been the same guy thus far. He’s dropped a bunch of passes, and hasn’t been able to establish the same rapport with Fitzpatrick that he did last year, in large part due to Fitz’s inaccuracy. Marshall is 32, and just two years ago was traded to New York with a seventh round pick for just a fifth round selection. The Bears were just trying to get rid of a big contract, but the Jets continued to pay Marshall big money, and the Jets won’t be able to get a worthy draft pick for him.
The biggest reason the Jets shouldn’t trade Marshall is because they have a talented roster. They haven’t been able to put the pieces together this year, but with the exception of the quarterback position, this offense is solid. The secondary needs repairs, but the Jets are old, and don’t look like they need to rebuild. New York is most likely going to start a young quarterback next year, whether it’s Petty, Hackenberg, or another rookie. They have the weapons to help a young quarterback succeed with Marshall, Decker returning from injury, the emergence of Quincy Enunwa, and two pass-catching running backs, so why diminish those weapons and put a young quarterback in a worse position to start the season. Whether or not it’s a bluff, when he was first traded to New York, Marshall declared that this would be his last NFL team. He has been a leader in the locker room and on the field, and has expressed strong interest in staying with the organization, one that he has backed from the moment he arrived.
Time will tell for the Jets, and if they decide to pull the trigger with deals for either of these players, but based on the current status of this roster, the move seems to be to trade Richardson and keep Marshall. However, GM Mike McCagnan is unpredictable, and we can see multiple moves or none at all in the waning hours of Tuesday afternoon.
