Should the Dallas Cowboys pursue a trade for Sheldon Richardson?

It has been long rumored that the Dallas Cowboys were interested in trading for Jets defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson. Could a trade come to fruition?

The Dallas Cowboys are pretty stacked on the defensive line, especially after selecting defensive end Taco Charlton and defensive tackles Joey Ivie and Jordan Carrell in the 2017 NFL draft.

But despite having a loaded defensive front , there aren’t many big-name players on the roster. It’s fair to wonder if the Cowboys should pursue a trade for the Jets’ Sheldon Richardson, who has been the subject of many trade rumors over the past two seasons.

Let’s look at some of the pros of Richardson on the Cowboys.

There’s no doubt Richardson is a talented player, and his motor and ability to rush the passer could prove to be vital to the Dallas defense down the stretch. He’s played in a 3-4 defense for his entire career thus far, but a switch to the 4-3 could prove to be a much better fit.

In Rod Marinelli’s scheme, Richardson would most likely be playing the under tackle, or more commonly known as the 3-technique. This would give Richardson more license to get to the passer, which would play more to his physical strengths.

Marinelli is known for getting the most out of his players, and perhaps he can bring Richardson back to his 2014 form, where he recorded a career high 8 sacks.

While there are some pros to acquiring Richardson, he also comes with quite a lot of baggage. He was suspended one game last year for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, and four games in 2015 for breaking the substance abuse policy. To top it all off, he’s one more transgression away from an even lengthier suspension.

In addition to his off-the-field questions, he’s taken a step back on-the field as well. Since his career high eight sacks in 2014, his quarterback takedowns total has decreased in each of the following seasons, including a career-low 1.5 in 2016. Not to mention Richardson will be a free-agent at the end of the season, so there’s no guarantee he will re-sign with the ‘Boys.

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Acquiring Sheldon Richardson would undoubtedly come with a plethora of risks, but it could be worth it if he once again plays at an elite level in a contract year.  If the Cowboys were able to acquire the interior defensive lineman for say, a fifth or sixth round conditional pick, it could prove to be a move that moves them closer to Super Bowl contention.