Jets trade Richardson to Seahawks for Kearse, 2nd-round pick
The New York Jets have traded defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson to the Seattle Seahawks for receiver Jermaine Kearse, the teams announced.
In addition to Kearse, the Jets will receive a second-round pick, and the teams will also swap seventh-round selections.
The move came after the Seahawks reportedly renegotiated wideout Doug Baldwin's contract Friday, freeing up $5.2 million in cap space.
It was reported just days ago that the Seahawks were shopping Kearse, a five-year pro coming off a down year with just 510 receiving yards and one touchdown in 16 games.
As for the Jets, they'd had discussions about trading Richardson in recent seasons, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported, identifying the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos as former potential landing spots.
Richardson, a former Pro Bowler with 18 career sacks, has had run-ins with teammates and been benched for missing meetings during his time in New York. He's scheduled to become a free agent next season.
The Jets were in desperate need of receiver help after losing their best pass-catcher, Quincy Enunwa, for the season with a disc injury. They also allowed Brandon Marshall to walk and shipped Eric Decker out of town.
In turn, Richardson joins a Seahawks defensive line that currently includes Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril.