.......... some of us do too coach. 

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2021/04/kevin-stefanski-hopes-baker-mayfield-is-significantly-better-in-year-2-leaves-door-open-for-sheldon-richardsons-return.html

@canton-mike said:

Might that be a reason why the cut was so late in coming? Other possible suitors having already spent their big FA $, thus the possibility of his return by accepting the offer from the Browns?

@gumby73 said:

@AndrewBrandt

The Browns waited until today, three months since their season ended, to release Sheldon Richardson. $12 million salary in "contract" turns to dust, most teams done spending. Cold business.

6:00 PM · Apr 16, 2021

 

@tour2ma said:

Shocking news... and not just because we just really downgraded our DT rotation. The above tweet nails it.

This is the type of move UFAs remember when it comes time to pick an employer.

That said.... a resign at a lower price tag would not shock me. I can't help but believe we were trying to restructure SR's contract and he wasn't interested in doing so.

Now? Even if he carries a grudge, if his choice to get paid only 60 or 70% of what he was slated to make or "retire" then we could see him return.

@texasag1969 said:

Totally agree. We did far better without him since it caused Baker to become a real QB searching for all receivers.

If we didn't have OBJ, we would be needing someone just like him....and  Baker would probably be looking for that guy.   So, I see a non-issue there. 

@westside-steve said:

 I fear that's the case. But there's always a chance that the fishing isn't all that good as a free agent and the 2 sides can come together in some way to allow him to save face.

WSS

Might that be a reason why the cut was so late in coming? Other possible suitors having already spent their big FA $, thus the possibility of his return by accepting the offer from the Browns?

Mike

@westside-steve said:

 I wish we wouldn't have had to eat so much of the contract by cutting OBJ

 I really don't think hes necessary.

WSS

Totally agree. We did far better without him since it caused Baker to become a real QB searching for all receivers.

@texasag1969 said:

I think we have eyes on the draft here, but I hope you are right.

 I wish we wouldn't have had to eat so much of the contract by cutting OBJ

 I really don't think hes necessary.

WSS

@westside-steve said:

 I fear that's the case. But there's always a chance that the fishing isn't all that good as a free agent and the 2 sides can come together in some way to allow him to save face.

WSS

I think we have eyes on the draft here, but I hope you are right.

@texasag1969 said:

If he was willing to take a discount, he would have already done it. You know it had to be offered already.

 I fear that's the case. But there's always a chance that the fishing isn't all that good as a free agent and the 2 sides can come together in some way to allow him to save face.

WSS

@westside-steve said:

If he was willing to take a discount, he would have already done it. You know it had to be offered already.

https://dawgpounddaily.com/2021/04/18/andrew-berry-sends-message-cleveland-browns-veterans-lets-restructure/

Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry sent a simple message to veteran players — you must play ball with us and restructure or play ball elsewhere.

By cutting a star Cleveland Browns defensive tackle and mainstay on the defensive line in Sheldon Richardson, Andrew Berry has sent a message not only to Richardson and his agent, Ben Dogra of Relativity Sports, but also to other Browns players in a similar salary situation.

Evidently, Berry is very, very serious about the need to restructure in order to fit salaries within the salary cap.

If Berry was willing to cut Sheldon Richardson, he’s very likely taking a similar position with other high-salaried players on the Browns roster, including Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham, Jr., Joel Bitonio, Chris Hubbard, and others.

Make no mistake, Richardson was not cut due to a lack of ability. He was a legitimate star, with 64 tackles last season and 4.5 sacks for the team. The former Pro Bowler and  2013  NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year has been absolutely as solid as a rock for the Browns the past two seasons, and there can be no complaint about the level of his play.

However, general manager Andrew Berry decided that the team would rather clear $11.5 million worth of cap space, and for that reason, the 6-foot-3, 293-pound Richardson, who will turn 31 this November, was given his release. In effect, Berry is saying that the Browns do not believe that the Ravens or Steelers are going to offer $11.5 million, either...

... The Browns might even be willing to re-sign him back but at a much lower rate. One way or the other, Richardson is going to restructure, whether it is with the Browns or some other team.

Would be nice to bring him back.

This was a good read for me

In my prior posts I didn't incorporate the concept that every rookie that makes the final roster would decrease the number of vets who made it.. i just added the rookie pool on the top.  Backing out those salaries.. changes things. A lot, as it turns out!

65 who make the roster [53 active, 12 practice squad] will charge against the cap.  Rookies can be either active or PS.  Say all 9 rookies make some part of the roster – thus 56 veterans will make the roster.  

Also assume the ones who make the roster are the highest-paid.  This isn’t always the case - if JoJo Natson [874,265] gets cut and Montrel Meander [850k] makes the roster, that's 25k lower salary expense.

Rookie pool is 8,931,008.. so top 56 plus the rookies.  Or, to be exact, top 55 plus DPJ because DPJ's salary as a 7th rounder is 826 while the vet minimum is 850.  On OTC, the top 55 is OBJ down to and including Cameron Malveaux.  These will be on the roster, either active or PS.

Current total given above assumptions for 65 for the 2021 season is 200,658,119.  Dead is 2,681,770.  That’s 203,339,889 for our 2021 total.

Assume OTC is correct with the amount of one-year cap we have at 20,935,462.  2021 cap is 182.5.

So our cap space remaining in 2021 after releasing Richardson is… 95,573. 

Yes, we're under the cap.. but now next season instead of that 20.9m one-year space, our rollover cap will be all of 95k. And we have a QB, CB, RB, and RG to resign.

@tour2ma said:

Terry's take on the move(s)...

@orion said:

and to my knowledge we're not 'up against it' with the cap. 

...OK, so according to Terry, after signing upcoming draft picks the team would be about 2 mil under the cap.  So, a hit was put out on Richardson.  He was an upcoming cap hit.

But he's a good player and we ain't won any super bowls yet.  

@ballpeen said:

tough decisions sometimes have to be made,

Right.  And I can only see it from a fan's perspective.  And I see a good football player, not great but better than most...and he plays every week...and to my knowledge we're not 'up against it' with the cap.  He was a dependable solid player.

@sdbacker80 said:

I’m pretty confident we are taking a DT maybe 2 in this draft.

Agree... there are some very interesting Day 2 values... especially in Round 3.

Terry's take on the move(s)...

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2021/04/how-does-cutting-sheldon-richardson-make-some-sense-for-the-browns-terry-pluto.html

One football man was explaining it to me this way: The Browns could go with three defensive ends at times – Myles Garrett, Takk McKinley and Clowney. They signed Malik Jackson, a defensive tackle who has played like a defensive end in certain formations.

His point was to stop thinking the Browns have the standard 4-3 defense. They will have two linebackers and three safeties on the field most of the time. It’s why the front office put big money ($37 million over three years) into safety John Johnson III. It’s why they made Grant Delpit a second-round pick last year.

It’s also why I wouldn’t be surprised if the Browns draft a safety somewhere in the middle rounds.

I guess my bottom line position is I liked Richardson and wished we could have kept him.  I just know that as we get better, tough decisions sometimes have to be made, and as you said, it isn't always going to be popular.  He was the odd man out in this case.  Last year of a contract, making big money, and a player we very probably weren't going to bring back next year.

@ballpeen said:

Or perhaps Jackson is Richardsons' replacement and Clowney has nothing to do with Richardsons release?  Perhaps we had been talking to Richardsons camp for a month or so about a restructure to no avail and now he simply gets cut because we are close on money? Perhaps we viewed Richardson as being over paid?  Perhaps between the players we now have on board in addition to someone we plan on drafting, we felt cutting Richardson now was better than waiting until some time during camp?

All quite possibly true.

And we're all not going to agree with every move a coach or GM makes.  Currently, I personally, don't agree with the move.

@orion said:

So, I ask myself, Are we better with Clowney and no Richardson?  Or were we better with Richardson and no Clowney? 

We were only truly better for a couple of days.   Perhaps they're asking Clowney to put on about 50 pounds.  

Or perhaps Jackson is Richardsons' replacement and Clowney has nothing to do with Richardsons release?  Perhaps we had been talking to Richardsons camp for a month or so about a restructure to no avail and now he simply gets cut because we are close on money? Perhaps we viewed Richardson as being over paid?  Perhaps between the players we now have on board in addition to someone we plan on drafting, we felt cutting Richardson now was better than waiting until some time during camp?

Perhaps we best wait and see what all Berry has in store before we jump off a bridge?

@sdbacker80 said:

I’m pretty confident we are taking a DT maybe 2 in this draft.  I wouldn’t be surprised if one or both are heavily involved in the the rotation.

Elliot and Day based on what I’ve seen should play very sparingly barring any major improvement. 
 

I hope we bring S. Rich back...he might not be worth 12M but he plays every week and makes some plays each game. 

Baring SR returning I see the same thing, two DTs in the 1st 3 rounds depending upon how they fall.

Elliot and Day based on what I’ve seen should play very sparingly barring any major improvement. 
 

I hope we bring S. Rich back...he might not be worth 12M but he plays every week and makes some plays each game.