Vikings Sign Sheldon Richardson

The Vikings announced that they’ve officially signed Sheldon Richardson. The defensive lineman will play on a one-year, $3.6MM deal that could reach $4.35MM via incentives (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). 

The Vikes effectively handled two birds with one stone. Earlier today, they reworked Danielle Hunter‘s contract to satisfy the defensive end and carve out some extra breathing room on the 2021 cap. Now, they’ve used those extra dollars to further strengthen the defensive line with Richardson.

It’s a reunion for Richardson, who spent the 2018 season in Minnesota. After that, he moved on to the Browns, but he was released in April after refusing a pay cut. The former Defensive Rookie of the Year will further beef up the Vikings’ interior, joining Michael Pierce and newcomer Dalvin Tomlinson. Thanks in part to Pierce’s opt out, the Vikings ranked 27th in yardage allowed last year. It’s safe to say they’ll fare better this time around.

Richardson has 118 career starts to his credit with 31 sacks and 58 tackles for loss across eight seasons. Last year, he graded as a top-40 interior defender, per Pro Football Focus while notching 4.5 sacks and 64 tackles.

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