Sheldon Richardson, signed to a three-year, $37 million deal in March, believes his presence persuaded McCoy to sign with Carolina over Cleveland.
“I [was] probably one of the main reasons why he didn't come,” Richardson said prior to the second practice of the three-day mandatory minicamp.
That’s not to say that Richardson didn’t want the Browns to sign McCoy. Quite the contrary but he also believes that they’re not any worse off without him after he chose the Panthers on Monday.
“If he would’ve come it would’ve helped us, if not we’re fine where we’re at,” Richardson said. “I like our potential already if he would’ve come it would’ve made it that much better. None’s taking my spot.”
Richardson, who will team with Larry Ogunjobi inside and Pro Bowl defensive ends Myles Garrett and Olivier Vernon outside, believes the Browns can have the top defensive line in the league this fall.
“The potential's there, the potential's there,” Richardson said, “but week in and week out we've got to do that, we've got to be the best, if that's what y'all predicting us to be, we've got to go out there and prove that, but our standard's always going to be higher than y'alls.”
The Browns’ new starting defensive front four combined for 30.5 sacks, 81 quarterback hits and 33 tackles for loss in 2018.
“I expect our defensive line to be the strength of our football team,” head coach Freddie Kitchens said Wednesday. “Nobody wants to talk about them, but I expect them to be the strength of our team.”
Richardson alone has amassed 23.5 sacks, 49 tackles for loss, 76 QB hits, six forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and a safety in his career, and he expects to add to those numbers significantly in Cleveland.
“I carry myself as one of the best D-linemen in the league, feel like I am, play like I am,” Richardson said. “I'll leave it up to y'all to make your suggestions and predictions on that, too, but I know how I feel about it, one of the best D-linemen in the league and I'll leave it at that.”
Richardson is excited to be reunited with defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi, who recruited him at Cal when he was in junior college, and to play in Steve Wilks’ scheme considering how, “his defense had already been to a Super Bowl so why not go play in that system?”
The early returns from players on Wilks have been overwhelmingly positive and Richardson was no different when asked for his thoughts on the new defensive coordinator and his system.
“Everybody has a chance out here to make plays in this defense, that’s the best part about it,” Richardson said. “Free range for everybody, coverages is a little move faster, not too much diversity to it. A little bit here and there but not too much, everybody stick to what they do best.”
So, what is Richardson looking forward to most on Sundays? The race to the quarterback.
“Don't meet me there. Beat me there,” Richardson said. “That's one thing I always say. But definitely it's going to be fun.”