NFL News and Notes: Sheldon Richardson, Jadeveon Clowney, Aaron Donald and more,…
While the NFL may be the only major U.S. sport not in season right now, that doesn’t mean that news out of the league has slowed down. With the draft rapidly approaching, teams continue to make roster decisions with an eye on the approaching season. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest news stories around the NFL.
Richardson Released
In a bit of a surprising move, the Cleveland Browns announced that they released defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson. This is clearly a cap casualty, as Richardson was set to make almost $11 million this season.
Last year, with the Browns, Richardson played all 16 games and had 64 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and a forced fumble.
Unfortunately for Richardson, he is late to the free-agent party, but it would not be shocking if a team snatched him up sooner than later. At 30-years-old, he can still offer a lot to any defense.
For Cleveland, this leaves them a little thin in the interior after losing both Richardson and Larry Ogunjobi. They did sign Malik Jackson but still may have some work to do.
Clowney Comes To Cleveland
While the Browns parted ways with one defensive player in Richardson, they gained another earlier this week when they signed defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. The deal will keep Clowney in Cleveland for one year and $8 million.
At 28-years-old, Clowney will look to get his career back on track. Last season, with the Tennessee Titans, he played in just eight games and had 19 tackles and a forced fumble but had no sacks.
His best season was in 2017, with Houston, where he had 59 tackles and 9.5 sacks.
For Cleveland, they are hoping that the signing pays dividends as they are looking to make a push in the upcoming season’s playoffs. They are currently +2000 to win Super Bowl LVI.
Aaron Donald Facing Legal Trouble?
Star defensive tackle Aaron Donald could be in some hot water with the law. He is potentially facing legal troubles after allegations that he assaulted someone in Pittsburgh at a club.
On Friday, Donald’s lawyer dismissed the allegations and argued that there is video evidence that proves Donald’s innocence. The video appears to show Donald trying to break up the fight as opposed to being a major instigator.
Still, this is worth monitoring as he is arguably the best defensive player in the NFL and a key to the Rams’ defense.
Last season, he had 45 tackles, 13.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.
The Rams are currently +1300 to win the Super Bowl.
Bears Bring In Goodwin
The Chicago Bears brought in another weapon for Matt Nagy, Andy Dalton, and the Bears’ offense Friday by signing wide receiver Marquise Goodwin. It is a one-year deal for Goodwin, who has not played since 2019 after opting out last season.
In his last season with San Francisco, he had 12 receptions for 186 yards and a touchdown. His best season was in 2017, when he pulled in 56 receptions for 962 yards and two touchdowns.
At 30-years-old, the Bears are hoping to catch lightning in a bottle with Goodwin as he will give another option behind main receivers Allen Robinson and Darnell Mooney.
Goodwin could also see some time with the special teams, especially after Cordarrelle Patterson signed with the Atlanta Falcons on a one-year, $3 million deal this week.
The Bears are currently +5500 to win the Super Bowl.
