Why losing weight is bad for the Jets
Anyone losing 11 pounds would be congratulated for a job well done. After all, you are taking care of your health and there are long term benefits like lower blood pressure and prevention of certain diseases. Unfortunately, that doesn’t apply in the sport of football and especially with this New York Jets player.
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Sheldon Richardson drops weight, stays focused on the future | Newsday Sometimes, Sheldon Richardson scares himself.His potential is so high, even he’s not sure where its apex lies.“I don’t put limitations on myself. I let you |
| Source: www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/sheldon-richardson-drops-weight-stays-focused-on-the-future-1.11843605 | |
Why try to fix something that’s not broken? Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson had a great season in 2015 with 5 sacks and even though it won’t show in the stat sheet, his multiple quarterback hurries per game either forced the QBs to throw quicker than they wanted to or they scrambled from the pocket. If he wasn’t shooting from the gap, then he was tackling running backs at or behind the line of scrimmage.
Add in the fact that he was always running after and tackling the ball carrier 20 yards down the field even though the play was away from him and you can see how he gives it his all for this football team. Even he said “I have no idea what my ceiling is. I might be scared to reach my potential.” The sky is the limit for this disruptive player only entering his 4th season in the NFL.
So won’t going down from 320 pounds to 309 pounds benefit Richardson? If he was a RB, WR or cornerback, then,yes, shedding that weight would make him faster and leaner. But losing 11 pounds would have an adverse effect on him. Just look at the situation with the tackle Eric Fisher of the Kansas City Chiefs, who is facing a make or break season. He is struggling so much on the Chiefs’ offensive line that “he has even beefed up his weight this offseason in an effort to improve”, not lose pounds.
Offensive and defensive linemen are different animals, constantly fighting in the trenches and butting heads every time the ball is snapped in the game. Sheldon needs to stay at his ideal weight of 320 pounds to hold up the front and gain leverage against the centers and guards. If he losses that necessary mass, then when the running play comes at him, he will be pushed back and lose ground to the offensive linemen. This in turn will gain the RB more yards and allow the offense to reach the 2nd level of the defense (linebackers, safeties) and block them for extra yardage. On passing plays, Richardson will be more easily pancaked and lose time trying to get back up from the ground or he won’t have the needed strength to bullrush the linemen.
“Being a little bit lighter will play in his benefit”. Once again, Todd Bowles is wrong. Shedding weight won’t help Sheldon Richardson at all. It may give him more endurance, agility and make him quick on his feet but when he matches up against sturdy linemen, he will be pushed around like a rag doll in all phases of the game. At the position that he plays, Richardson should have kept things status quo and just done more film study. Only time will tell if this was the best decision for a player who had a promising future.
