In 2019, the Cleveland Browns made a splash in free agency and added defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson to their roster.
The organization was in desperate need of a reliable tackle, so they brought in Richardson on a three-year deal worth $39 million.
At first glance, that is quite a lot of money to pay a tackle, but Richardson has earned his paycheck.
The former first round pick has put together two straight reliable years for Cleveland.
While the 30-year-old might not put up flashy numbers, but he is still a key contributor on defense.
Richardson’s 2020 Campaign
It’s never easy living up to the expectations of being taken in the first round.
However, Richardson has done a nice job silencing the critics throughout his career.
He has put together one Pro Bowl campaign and 31 career sacks during his eight seasons in the league.
His performance did not miss a beat once he joined the Browns roster in 2019.
Richardson recorded 62 tackles, three sacks, three fumbles forced, and four passes defended through 16 games during his first year in Cleveland.
He filled up the stat sheet and finished with career highs in multiple categories, which gave Browns fans hope that they’ve finally found a reliable tackle.
In 2020, Richardson came out and continued to wreck havoc on opposing offensive lines.
Sheldon Richardson was not messing around. 😳 pic.twitter.com/hbIZuRXCJF
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 24, 2020
At times, Richardson is a forgotten man because of how ridiculously good Myles Garrett is on defense.
Despite that, Richardson has shown that he is a threat and opposing o-lines need to take that into account.
The fact that Garrett often times gets double teamed creates holes for Richardson and others to attack the quarterback.
In 2020, Richardson recorded 64 tackles, 4.5 sacks, one fumble forced, and three passes defended in 16 games.
“I got half of that!”
“No sir! No sir!”Sheldon Richardson would really like @MylesLGarrett to share half of that sack 😂 pic.twitter.com/VViXN6vVUQ
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 30, 2020
Since joining the Browns, Richardson has been producing borderline Pro Bowl numbers.
He has played at least 15 games in each season, but one during his eight years in the league.
It appears the Browns made a smart investment when they locked up Richardson to a three-year deal in 2018.
A reliable pass rusher who is excellent at run blocking and plays almost a full season every single year.
It’s tough to ask more from a player, so Browns fans should certainly be happy with the performance of Richardson.
Richardson’s 2021 Prediction
Maybe, it’s a little too early to start making predictions about what player’s will do next season.
However, Richardson is the type of player that continues to produce reliable numbers every year.
The stats speak for themselves, but Richardson is the type of player that never gives up.
He brings his everything on the field each week and it shows in his play.
Love when DL make hustle plays. Sheldon Richardson here 20-yards working downfield to make a tackle. The type of tape coaches show the team for effort wins. #Browns pic.twitter.com/R8DlUrQzHK
— Browns Film Breakdown (@BrownsFilmBDN) September 29, 2020
The Browns’ offseason moves will have some impact on Richardson’s performance next season.
Through two seasons in Cleveland, Richardson has produced at least 60 tackles, three sacks, and three passes defended each year.
It’s tough to argue that his stats will change drastically in 2021 unless an injury happens.
The good news is, the Browns can count on Richardson to be a reliable contributor, which cannot be said about many players.
Regardless of his performance in 2021, Richardson has lived up to his contract during his time in Cleveland.
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