3 Most Likely Sheldon Richardson Free-Agent Destinations Following 2021 NFL Draft

The 2021 NFL Draft is officially in the books and a lot of teams have a much better idea of what roster needs they have left. A number of talented free agents remain unsigned including veteran defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson.

Richardson's career is far from over and he should draw more interest as the offseason rolls on. With that in mind, here are three of the most likely free agent destinations for Richardson following the NFL Draft.

Sheldon Richardson Rumors

3. Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins headed into the draft with a need to address along the interior of the defensive line. They ended up selecting defensive end Jaelen Phillips, but he thrives coming off the edge. Current starter Christian Wilkins has some upside, but the Dolphins are in win-now mode and would benefit from adding a proven veteran like Richardson. He has forced four fumbles and racked up 7.5 sacks over the course of the last two seasons. That kind of production is exactly what head coach Brian Flores and the Dolphins are missing right now.

2. Detroit Lions

It is no secret that the Lions need all the help they can get after finishing with a dismal 5-11 record last season. Their defense ranked as one of the worst in the league across multiple categories. In fact, Detroit gave up the most rushing touchdowns in the league (27) as well as the most points per game (32.4). While signing Richardson wouldn't be the sole solution to solving these issues, it would definitely be a step in the right direction. He has posted at least 62 tackles in each of the last two seasons and has missed very few games due to injury. Detroit also clearly recognized it has a need on the interior, spending two of its first three picks in the draft on DTs. Richardson could be a great mentor to rookies Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeill.

1. Cleveland Browns

A reunion between Richardson and the Cleveland Browns is still a possibility even though he was released by the team this offseason. Head coach Kevin Stefanski has stated that he hopes to have him back. Plus, the Browns selected defensive tackle Tommy Togiai in the draft, who isn't expected to be immediately ready to play at the next level. Bringing Richardson back would be a way to fill that gap for now and give him another opportunity to replicate his success from last season. Don't get it twisted, he was a key piece to this defense.

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Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.