Browns: Sheldon Richardson provides depth but not much else

There’s are still those who believe Sheldon Richardson will return to the Browns.

The Browns made the decision early in the offseason to cut veteran Sheldon Richardson due to his massive contract. The move was mostly due to the need to make room under the cap for Jadeveon Clowney but it was also long overdue. Richardson was a massive free agent from the John Dorsey era, after having bounced from team to team to team in the previous three seasons (Jets, Seahawks, Vikings).

Since arriving in Cleveland, Richardson has been anything but a bargain. While he never played dramatically bad, he also never lived up to his eight-figure salary either. Often times just being good enough to start, and not much else.

So cutting him seemed like a logical move at the time. The Browns revamped the interior of the defensive line but admittedly few think the interior got better. Just different.

Mary Kay Cabot spoke about the release of Richardson, emphasizing that he could be brought back.

"The Browns parted ways on good terms with Richardson, with the agreement that he could be re-signed later in the offseason. There’s been interest from other teams in the ninth-year pro, but he enjoyed his two seasons here, and might prefer Cleveland to starting over again elsewhere."

What does Sheldon Richardson bring to the table?

Honestly, Sheldon Richardson seems like a nice idea in theory but not in execution. The Browns have an interesting group of interior guys, especially with rookie Tommy Togiai. Togiai is one of the strongest, if not the strongest prospects in the draft, and his youth, quickness, and strength make him an interesting option. Whether that translates into production is up in the air, but we already know what Richardson can and can’t do, it’s time to see what some of these other guys can do.

That isn’t to say there’s no way the Browns wouldn’t welcome Richardson back, nor is that to say that there aren’t scenarios in which Richardson should be brought back. If the Browns front four sucks at stopping the run after a handful of games, sure, bring back Richardson. If the Browns suffer massive amounts of injuries and need depth, sure bring him back.

If the Browns just need someone to help stabilize the line of scrimmage, even if the tackles are playing fine but say, Jadeveon Clowney isn’t? Sure, bring him back.

For right now, however, there’s no reason to bring back Richardson. If the new pieces pan out, then save the money and invest it in some of the guys currently on the team.