Free-agent defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson is expected to sign a three-year deal with the Cleveland Browns, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Richardson spent the 2018 campaign with the Minnesota Vikings, playing in all 16 games and registering 49 tackles and 4.5 sacks.

The 28-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Missouri, was originally selected by the New York Jets in the first round (13th pick overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft.

He appeared in all 16 contests during his rookie season and was impressive, finishing with 77 tackles, 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Then, the following year, Richardson made the Pro Bowl after racking up 66 tackles, eight sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

At that point, it looked like Richardson was going to ascend into the ranks of the top interior defensive linemen in the league, but instead, he actually began to decline.

In 2015, Richardson was suspended for the first four games of the season as a result of violating the NFL's drug policy. He ended up playing in 11 games, totaling 35 tackles, five sacks and a couple of forced fumbles.

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The next year, Richardson was even less effective as a pass rusher, logging 62 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a pair of fumble recoveries.

Due to declining productivity as well as off-the-field issues, the Jets ultimately traded Sheldon Richardson to the Seattle Seahawks in September 2017. He proceeded to play in 15 games for the Seahawks that season, posting 44 tackles, a sack, an interception, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

The Browns are coming off a season in which they went 7-8-1, marking their best finish since winning 10 games back in 2007.