Sheldon Richardson Reveals Seahawks, Redskins Trade Interest, Pay Cut Request

New York Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson said Thursday that the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins were among the teams that inquired about trading for him this offseason.

According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Richardson also mentioned a team asking him to take a pay cut: "It's a business, bro. 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."

The 26-year-old Richardson is entering the final year of his contract in 2017, which means New York could risk losing him for nothing in free agency next offseason.

Richardson told Mehta he believes it would be smart on the Jets' part to sign him to a long-term extension: "That's their decision. Would I pay me? I'd pay me ... I would (keep Leonard Williams Williams, Muhammad Wilkerson and him), because you can save money in other places with a stout defensive line."

While Richardson is coming off a down year statistically after registering 62 tackles and 1.5 sacks last season, he is a former Pro Bowler and was Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2013.

Richardson has had some off-field issues, however, including suspensions for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy and personal-conduct policy.

Although Richardson's presence gives New York one of the NFL's most talented defensive lines, the presence of Williams and Wilkerson could make him expendable moving forward, especially since he has been asked to play out of position as a linebacker at times.