What Cleveland Browns moves mean for Sheldon Richardson

With Larry Ogunjobi on the move, Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns could look to extend Sheldon Richardson for a year or two.

The Cleveland Browns continue to be active in free agency, but one loss for 2021 will be Larry Ogunjobi. While this isn’t a shock, Ogjunjobi appeared in 60 games for the Browns over the last four seasons which included 46 starts. Ogunjobi always had potential, but just never seemed to put it all together.

Coming into the offseason there was a question if the other starting defensive tackle, Sheldon Richardson, would be a veteran cap casualty with a $13.16 million cap hit in 2021 and in the last year of his contract.

With Ogunjobi on the move and a limited number of starting-caliber defensive tackle prospects left, Richardson is now a prime candidate to restructure and extend. Given his performance in two years with the team, Andrew Berry could give a heavy signing bonus and bring the cap number down several million in 2021.

With the cap expected to increase in 2022, the Browns would then have him under contract again and would have the flexibility if the cap number made sense next year. Richardson is 31 but appears to have at least another year or two of gas in the tank. In a defense that was bad last year, Richardson was one of the few bright spots.

If Berry can get Richardson set for a year or two extension, the Browns are back in decent shape. They have Andrew Billings who didn’t play in 2020 but has proven to be a starting-caliber player, as well as Jordan Elliott who was a rookie last year and could take huge steps in 2021.

The defensive tackle class is weak in this draft, so don’t be shocked if Berry adds another defensive tackle in free agency.

Maybe a reunion with Danny Shelton? Don’t forget, Richardson can be extremely effective as a defensive end as well. Maybe Berry is already two steps ahead of everyone else?