5 Under-the-radar Giants to watch against Cleveland Browns in Week 15

4. Former Browns Defensive End Jabaal Sheard

Wait, what? Yes, the same Jabaal Sheard that the Browns had to get rid of because they wanted to make room for Barkevious Mingo, and they did not think that the 6-3, 268-lb. Sheard could transition to 3-4 outside linebacker.

Mingo was actually drafted as a defensive end, but at 6-5 and only 235 lbs, that would not work in Ray Horton’s 3-4 defense. It’s hard to understand what the Browns were thinking except that they thought he was going to be a highly effective pass rusher as an outside linebacker. Well, Mingo eventually wound up playing linebacker, where he earned a Super Bowl ring with the New England Patriots.

He’s still in the league and has 12.5-lifetime sacks and five forced fumbles. Congratulations to him, that’s a nice career. Sheard was his teammate in New England, starting at defensive end, and also has a Super Bowl ring. You cannot make this stuff up, you just can’t.

In those days, the Browns were willing to draft players regardless of whether they fit 3-4 or 4-3 position descriptions. The attitude of the front office was to just acquire good players and let the coaching staff figure out how to play them.

Anyway, here he is, back at defensive end with the Giants, in his tenth year at age 31. He has 53 sacks and 14 forced fumbles, including 1.5 sacks this season and a forced fumble. Sheard will be in the rotation Sunday night and will be trying to add to those totals by chasing Baker Mayfield.