Sheldon

Richardson

Cabot is refuting a report from last week that linked Suh to the Browns. Suh is a free agent after spending three years in Tampa Bay. He has had talks with the Vikings and Raiders, though neither team has pulled the trigger. A reunion with Tampa Bay looked unlikely at the start of free agency, but the deeper into summer we get the lower Suh’s asking price might drop. Cabot mentioned Sheldon Richardson as a possible option instead of Suh. The defensive tackle played in Cleveland for two years before joining Minnesota for the 2021 season.

Richardson can make upwards of $4.35 million with incentives. The 2013 first-round pick joined the Vikings on a one-year deal in 2018 after four years with the Jets and one season with Seattle. He recorded 49 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 16 starts for Minnesota that year. Richardson, 30, will rejoin a Vikings defense that had the league’s worst pass rush in 2020, per PFF grades. Richardon’s signing and the return of several key defenders, including DE Danielle Hunter should make Mike Zimmer’s defense far more formidable in 2021, perhaps removing some of the volume-driven upside of Vikings skill position players.

The Browns originally terminated Richardson’s contract to make room for Jadeveon Clowney, which saved them roughly $12 million against the cap. Richardson, 30, ranked 37th among all interior defensive linemen at Pro Football Focus last year, leading his position with 64 tackles as an above-average run-stuffer. He’s already rumored to be eyeing a return to Minnesota, where he played in 2018 before signing with the Browns in 2019.

The Browns cut Richardson to make space for DL Jadeveon Clowney less than a week ago but the move was purely financial. Richardson was set to make $12 million and would likely have played a reduced role with Clowney in town. If he’s willing to agree to a team-friendly deal, the Browns would be fine with paying for his run-stuffing services once again. Richardson will probably be waiting until teams make their moves in the draft before finding a home on a short-term deal.

It was an easy decision following the addition of Jadeveon Clowney since Richardson was due $12 million this year. Although Malik Jackson and Andrew Billings are still available as depth, it’s not out the question Cleveland bolsters its d-line further through the draft, and perhaps as early as the No. 26 overall pick. Richardson should land elsewhere as a rotational run-stuffer following draft weekend.

Cleveland’s rebuild of their defensive line continues. They brought in Olivier Vernon via a trade last week to bookend Myles Garrett, and now they have signed Richardson to give Larry Ogunjobi some help on the inside. At least on paper, the Browns have strengthened one of their biggest weaknesses.

6-foot-4, 295-pound Richardson is a gap-shooting three-technique prospect who paced all SEC defensive tackles in regular season tackles (75), including 10 1/2 for a loss. He also forced three fumbles and racked up four sacks as a junior. Rotoworld NFL draft maven Josh Norris gives Richardson a “great chance” to be drafted in the first round as a disruptive attacker of defenses from the interior.

Coming out of college, Richardson was considered a 4-3 tackle that wasn’t expected to play nose, but after Friday it appears that’s a possibility. “We’d move him around,” said coach Rex Ryan. “Some guys will line up, depending on our call, you can have a guy at nose, you can have him at three, you can have him at five.” Richardson has the potential to be a productive fantasy option, but significant time at nose would limit his IDP value.

“A little end, a little (three-technique tackle), a little nose, shade, all that,” he said. “The only thing I haven’t done yet is play rush (linebacker), so I pretty much have my hand in the dirt.” Richardson admits the transition from Mizzou’s 4-3 scheme to the Jets’ 3-4 isn’t easy. “You just have to get used to what the coaches are saying and understanding what they mean and pick it up fast because it’s the NFL. You don’t have time for mistakes, shorter reps.”

Richardson is 6-foot-2 1/2, 294, which makes the forty times impressive. He ran a 5.02 in Indy. Richardson is projected to be drafted in the early teens, and has an outside chance at the top 10. He is a three-technique pass rusher.