Vikings 2021 NFC North odds: Sheldon Richardson, among other additions, could make Minnesota defense NFL's most improved this season
The Vikings have signed former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson.
The Minnesota Vikings slipped from a 10-6 playoff team in 2019 to 7-9 and third in the NFC North last season in large part because their defense fell off a cliff. That has put Coach Mike Zimmer, whose son Adam is the team's co-defensive coordinator, on a very hot seat entering 2021. However, the Vikings have added a lot of talent on that side of the ball this offseason, capped by signing a one-year deal with former Pro Bowl tackle Sheldon Richardson on Tuesday. William Hill Sportsbook lists the Vikes as +275 second favorites to win the division behind Green Bay (-135).
Richardson was a 2013 first-round pick by the Jets who won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and was a Pro Bowler in 2014. He stayed there through 2016, played the 2017 season in Seattle, the 2018 campaign in Minnesota and the past two years in Cleveland – Richardson has played 15 games or more in every season but 2015.
In April, the Browns released Richardson to save $11 million in cap space because the team had added defensive linemen Jadeveon Clowney and Malik Jackson in free agency and was getting back tackle Andrew Billings after he opted out of last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Richardson had a fine 2020 season with 64 tackles, 4.5 sacks, three passes defensed and a forced fumble.
Minnesota got him for one year at just $3.6 million – which is almost the exact amount of cap space the team freed up when it reworked the contract of Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter on Monday.
The 2020 Vikings ranked 27th in yards allowed per game (393.3), 29th in points allowed (29.7 ppg), 27th against the rush (134.4 ypg), 25th against the pass (258.8 ypg) and 28th in sacks (23).
Now, you add Richardson (31 sacks in eight seasons) to Hunter (missed all of last season), tackles Dalvin Tomlinson (free-agent addition) and Michael Pierce (opted out of 2020), a full season of Pro Bowl linebacker Anthony Barr (six games in 2020 due to injury), rookie third-round linebacker Chazz Surratt, and free-agent cornerbacks Patrick Peterson, a future Hall of Famer, Mackensie Alexander and Bashaud Breeland, and that unit should be massively improved.
The Vikes open the season on Sept. 12 at Cincinnati as early 3-point favorites on the NFL odds. While Minnesota is currently the second favorite to win the NFC North, it would jump into the favored role if Aaron Rodgers doesn't play for the Packers in 2021.Â
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