Vikings ink Sheldon Richardson to one-year deal

Sheldon Richardson is the newest member of the Minnesota Vikings, adding talent to an already impressive roster.

The rich get richer as Sheldon Richardson is the latest free agent to become a member of the Minnesota Vikings. Richardson, who spent the first four years of his NFL career in New York with the Jets before playing in Seattle last year, singed a one-year deal worth a reported $12 million and will be a force to be reckoned with on the Vikings defensive line next season.

Although his stats are not exactly earth shattering (just one sack last season), Richardson is the type of player the Vikings were looking for to replace the role of recently departed Tom Johnson in Mike Zimmer’s defense and should be able to step in a contribute at a high level. With Richardson now lining up next to Linval Joseph, this team has a chance now of having an all-time great defense.

The biggest concern in signing Richardson is his previous off the field behavior. He has been suspended a total of five games in his career for violating the league’s personal-conduct policy, Including an incident in 2016 involving a 12-year-old, a loaded gun and a car driven by Richardson going over 140 MPH. Not a good look for a young star in the NFL, but Richardson and the Vikings hope those days are behind him.

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A former first round pick out of Missouri, Richardson was drafted by the New York Jets and was the AP NFL Defensive rookie of the year in 2013 and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2014. Richardson and the Vikings defense figure to be a handful for offensive coordinators around the NFL in 2018.