Browns: 3 players who could be cut from the team in 2021
By Chad Porto
Sheldon Richardson
If Sheldon Richardson returns to the Browns in 2021 with his current salary, I’ll be shocked. Legitimately, no sarcasm intended. Richardson hasn’t played well since he landed with the Browns and his entire career can be summed up by saying “missed by *THAT* much.” Yeah, he had one year where he went to the Pro Bowl. Last decade. Since then he’s been on three other teams after being drafted by the Jets, and no one else has wanted him to stick around. For a reason.
He’s played beyond poorly in his year-plus seasons with the Browns, only ever showing any glimpse of talent when playing against the worst of the worst offensive lines in the league. That’s fine if you’re a fourth-string defensive tackle who mostly just plays garbage time, but Richardson is making $12 million next offseason. Or another way to look at that number, the total amount Andrew Berry put into the defense in 2020…
That $12 million isn’t a deal-breaker, but with the cap the way it is, and the fear of it shrinking, combined with Richardson’s poor play, there’s no way to justify bringing him back as is. Sure, a Chris Hubbard-like restructuring of his deal would save him but would he even accept that?
The Browns can save a flat $12 million by cutting him as soon as the 2021 offseason starts and they should absolutely do just that.