Top 25 NFL free agents for 2018

9. Sheldon Richardson, DT, Seattle Seahawks

Entering his contract year, the New York Jets traded Richardson to the Seattle Seahawks for a 2018 second-round draft pick and wide receiver Jermaine Kearse in September.

Off-field issues spurred the Jets to want to trade Richardson, rather than commit to him long-term. Based on what has transpired with Muhammad Wilkerson on and off the field, it appears they made the wrong choice.

Richardson’s numbers this season don’t leap off the page (1 sack, 44 total tackles in 15 games). But he was graded out above average overall among defensive lineman by Pro Football Focus, and a defensive tackle’s contribution is often understated by traditional measures. Not only do the Seahawks want him back and he expects to be back, but the Jets may be interested in a reunion.

Richardson is firmly in his prime, at 27 years old, with an NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2013), one Pro Bowl selection (2014) and 13 sacks over a two-season span (2014 and 2015) with the Jets on his resume. He probably won’t threaten to become one of the highest-paid defensive tackles in the league with his free agent deal this offseason, but Richardson has a chance to be as impactful as anyone else on this list.