I'm not wishing Richie has opted "out" for good, but I wouldn't mind seeing what a new album could be like with guitars exclusively by Phil X.

I say this for a few reasons.

Phil X could be a household name, if he could write killer anthems. nope. JBJ yep. (RS too - but he's opted out)
Phil X doesn't read notation, he has developed his own shorthand.
Phil X is popular as a session man, purely because he can rock up, hear the track and lay down a choice of killer solos, first attempt. (EVH - Beat it scenario) He is probably more at home in the studio than he is on the big stage.
Phil X played guitars for JBJ on the "Greatest Hits" track "What do you got?" so he's no stranger to the recording vagaries of the Bon Jovi machine.

If. RS is fed up with it, and some say it shows from the offerings on Because We Can, (in that the music has less balls) then some new blood from Phil X, with a return to the "Rockier" album sound, might open a whole new chapter for the future. I'd be happy to see (and hear) that.