Jets reportedly tried shopping Sheldon Richardson to the Colts

There are always some players who are on the trade block in the NFL, with various teams trying to get rid of certain players. When those situations arise, a team often will call other teams trying to gauge interest. None of this is uncommon, but we don’t always hear about it.

This offseason, the Indianapolis Colts were involved in such a process, though they weren’t the ones shopping one of their own players but rather a team that another franchise called. According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini (h/t Gang Green Nation), the New York Jets tried shopping defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, and Indianapolis Colts this offseason, but they obviously “haven’t found a taker.”

It shouldn’t be surprising that teams weren’t willing to trade for Richardson, who will be a free agent following the 2017 season, as he has twice been suspended by the NFL and comes with some off-field issues that make him not worth the asking price. But he’s a good defensive lineman, one who won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2013 and who made the Pro Bowl in 2014. He’s played in 58 career games (56 starts) and has recorded 242 tackles, 18 sacks, five forced fumbles, and six passes defensed in his career.

To be clear, this report doesn’t mean that the Colts were interested in trading for Richardson but simply that the Jets tried calling them about a potential trade. Whether the Colts did have any interest or not, however, they obviously didn’t make a trade with the Jets and very likely won’t moving forward either.

The Colts did make a big addition to their defensive line this offseason, however, as they signed Johnathan Hankins in free agency. The nose tackle/defensive tackle could be a huge addition to the team’s defensive line, as could the return of a healthy Henry Anderson and Kendall Langford. The Colts aren’t desperate enough up front defensively to make the trade for Richardson, and it was probably wise that they weren’t interested even as the Jets tried to get rid of him.