Sheldon Richardson

The Minnesota Vikings are "making progress" with veteran defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, according to ESPN's Field Yates.

Yates added that no agreement is finalized but that things are "headed that way."

Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot reported the Cleveland Browns tabled a "nice offer" to Richardson, who decided against a return to Northeast Ohio.

The 2014 Pro Bowler finished with 62 tackles, 4.5 sacks and one forced fumble with the Browns in 2020. Cleveland released him in April as a cost-savings maneuver, a move that was also emblematic of his contributions.

While a solid interior defender, it's doubtful Richardson will come close to replicating his monster production from 2014 (59 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, eight sacks, 21 quarterback hits and one forced fumble).

Help along the defensive line has remained a need for the Vikings with offseason workouts progressing. 

Dalvin Tomlinson and Stephen Weatherly were their notable additions in free agency, and they selected Patrick Jones II, Janarius Robinson and Jaylen Twyman in the draft. Michael Pierce is in effect a new signing as well after opting out of the 2020 season.

Richardson would provide nice depth behind Tomlinson and Pierce and give Minnesota another ready-made starter in the event one of the two was unavailable.

The Cleveland Browns announced the release of defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson on Friday, two days after signing defensive end Jadeveon Clowney to a one-year contract worth up to $10 million.

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported it's basically a salary swap:

Richardson originally signed a three-year, $37 million contract with the Cleveland in March 2019. His release leaves $1.7 million in dead-cap space for 2021.

The 30-year-old Missouri native recorded 126 total tackles, 7.5 sacks, seven passes defended and four forced fumbles in 32 appearances with the Browns. He received a solid 71.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in 2020.

ESPN's Jake Trotter highlighted the positive impact Richardson had on the Browns' defense:

Richardson was named the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2013 with the New York Jets, who drafted him with the 13th overall pick. After four years in New York, he spent one season apiece with the Seattle Seahawks (2017) and Minnesota Vikings (2018) before landing in Cleveland.

The Mizzou product has tallied 461 tackles and 31 sacks in 121 career games, and the 6'3", 294-pound tackle should generate ample interest in free agency since he's hitting the market after most of the offseason's top targets have already found new homes.

Joe Person of The Athletic reported the Carolina Panthers could be among the interested teams depending on the 2014 Pro Bowler's asking price.

Meanwhile, the Browns will likely have a competition between Andrew Billings, Malik Jackson, Jordan Elliott and Sheldon Day during training camp for the two starting spots at defensive tackle.

Sheldon Richardson thought the NFL let Mason Rudolph off easy for his role in the fight during the Cleveland Browns' 21-7 Week 11 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Richardson told reporters Monday he was "very surprised" Rudolph escaped without a suspension.

With seconds left in the game, Rudolph took exception to a hit from Myles Garrett and began shoving the Browns defensive end. Garrett then took off Rudolph's helmet and swung it at the Steelers quarterback.

"You can't antagonize a fight and then claim bullying. ... You get what's coming to you," Richardson said of the situation. "Of course Myles overreacted, it's just that simple."

After the game, Rudolph called Garrett's actions "bush league" and a "total coward move."

Many noted at the time, however, that Rudolph appeared to escalate things by initially meddling with Garrett's helmet.

Garrett issued an apology for the incident: "Last night, I made a terrible mistake. I lost my cool and what I did was selfish and unacceptable."

The NFL handed Garrett an indefinite suspension that will cover at least the remainder of the 2019 season. Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey received a three-game suspension and Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi was suspended for one game.

Rudolph's agent, Tim Younger, initially considered going a step further, telling ESPN's Brooke Pryor that "no options have been removed from the table" in terms of a possible legal case against Garrett. But Pryor reported Rudolph's representatives decided not to seek legal action.

Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot reported Ogunjobi and Pouncey appealed their suspensions, with Ogunjobi's appeal hearing coming Monday and Pouncey's scheduled for Tuesday. According to the Associated Press' Tom Withers, Garrett will travel to New York on Wednesday for his appeal.