Jeffrey Baker – USA Today Sports
The NFL’s free-agency period has gone through multiple waves in 2022, and defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson is available.
Richardson was signed by the Minnesota Vikings in two separate so-called promising seasons, 2018 and 2021. But in both campaigns, the Vikings Super Bowl-rival assurances to Richardson were unfortunate, as the team finished close to .500 in both seasons.
As a result, Richardson’s chances of rejoining the 2022 Vikings roster are slim – he could probably have done so by now – and awaiting the attention of other DL-poor teams.
And accordingly Greg AumannAn author for Athletic, Richardson could be on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers radar.
On several occasions, Auman mentions Richardson as an interested person as Tampa Bay is about to fill its 2022 roster.
Aumann has spoken about the idea more than once.
As Minnesota lost Daniel Hunter and Everson Griffin in the middle of the 2021 season, Richardson was often kicked in the EDGE spot on Mike Zimmer’s defense, where he performed admirably. Richardson was certainly not built like a prototype EDGE racer, but in a desperate time like last year, he filled the void with merit.
In Tampa, Richardson is likely to return to his biological assignment as a three-technique internal defensive lineman. The Buccaneers are a deep-rooted football team – Tom Brady retired for a reason – but could stand to become a little richer in the trenches. Currently, Tampa Bay pass racers include Shakil Barrett, William Gholston, Rookie Logan Hall, and Joe Tryon-Schweinka. Adding Richardson to the mix would allow Buccaneers some passing insurance.
Richardson will also be affordable. Most players of his caliber – good but not great – who have not signed a free agency in two months can be found in team-friendly power. This is the same world where Anthony Barr lives now.
Rival football teams do the same, building injury sign building block injuries – because of injuries. Willpower Emerging Richardson was the 13th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, so his name always carries a little extra sparkle.
He is durable, too. Richardson has not missed a game of football since the 2017 season.
To date, Richardson has played for the New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, Vikings and Cleveland Browns. And, at 31, he has a few years left to chase the Lombardy Trophy.
Additional available internal defensive linemen for Buchanan and other teams include Akim Hicks, Endamukong Suh and Larry Ogunzobi, among others.
According to Sportsbook, Buccaneers are the second most likely team to win the Super Bowl in 2022, second only to Buffalo Bills.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to her daily YouTube channel, VikesNow. She Hosts a podcast With Bryant McKinney, which airs every Wednesday Raun Sai And Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking Fandom dates back to 1996. Listed Criminal Pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos’ and The Doors (Band).
