The Dallas Cowboys have made it a point to improve their defensive line and their pass rush this offseason, drafting Michigan defensive end Taco Charlton in the first round to highlight the additions.
However, there is still room to improve, and with the Jets making defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson available via trade, the Cowboys could make a trade to acquire him for cheap, according to Fansided's Tim Kohut:
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.
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.
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.
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Richardson was one year left on his contract and is owed $8.069 million for 2017. This could essentially be a season-long audition for a long-term deal for Richardson, who would also give Dallas a needed boost for a potential Super Bowl run next season.
Richardson had 62 tackles with a career-low 1.5 sacks in 15 games last season.
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