Sheldon Richardson Thinks Odell Beckham, Jr.’s Contract Demands Are Reasonable

Superstar Giants receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. has stated he wants to be the highest paid player in the NFL. Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson told the New York Daily News he thinks that is reasonable.

“There’s more than one position out there,” said Richardson, who is scheduled to make $8.1 million this season on the team’s fifth-year option. “Yeah, is it tough to win without a quarterback? It’s tremendously hard to win without a quarterback. It really is. But, honestly, when you got receivers like that catching anything and everything, it’s not hard to get a quarterback to get them the ball. It really ain’t. … Why not pay him? I don’t understand why people downgrade every position except the quarterback position.”

I think the reason the quarterbacks get paid the most is clear. Richardson is flat out wrong that it is easy for a quarterback to have success as long as he has a quality supporting cast. There is too much evidence of this to even argue.

As far as guys seeking as much money as they can get, I have stated my view many times. These players have short careers. The NFL’s system is tilted mightily in the direction of the owners. I think players should seek as much money as they can get.

Of course the team’s perspective also matters. A player only provides so much value to a team. Players make financial sense at one price but not at another. Teams cannot have a player eating up so much of the salary cap that no money is left for other needs.

One might get the sense that Richardson is talking about his own desires for a new contract. Sheldon has not been shy through the years talking about how he wants a ton of money.

Again, there is nothing wrong with that. He has to look out for his financial future. At this point it is difficult for me to see how that makes sense for the Jets. Over the last few years Richardson hasn’t been what the Jets needed on or off the field, and the Jets for their part have struggled to figure out a way to use his skills properly. With Richardson hitting free agency after this season, that is why trade rumors will likely persist either until he gets dealt or until the trade deadline passes.