@AdamSchefter: Filed to ESPN: Browns RB Trent Richardson to Indy for Colts' first-round pick.
Whoa. Guess the Browns rebuild is ramping up. Bet the interwebz will say this is loading up to get Johnny Football.
Edit: Curious. Colts' release doesn't specify the year of the pick, just says it "is for a future first-rounder".
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Why would the Browns even consider this?
Great pickup for Indy.
I guess that means anyone on the GoBrowns is available. It may finally be time to ship Jarrett Bush and that 6th rounder off for Joe Thomas.
CLE is doing this most likely because they're awful and they're going to be awful probably well past the point that Richardson is shot. They may as well stockpile first rounders. Not saying I agree with it, but he's not good enough to carry a bad team with an even worse offense.
Wow! Indy thinks they're ready to make a move (and in that division you can't really deny it) and apparently the Browns are going to start over.
Again.
Joe Thomas is out there, make it happen TT!
Can we package Hawk and Bush if they throw in a bag of practice balls?
Browns don't want our 32nd pick in the 2014 draft
I guess that means anyone on the GoBrowns is available. It may finally be time to ship Jarrett Bush and that 6th rounder off for Joe Thomas.
IT. IS. TIME. Make it happen TT!
In all seriousness, Richardson is in his second season. I know the Browns suck, but it's not at all out of the question to turn things around rather quickly in this league with some shrewd decisions. Joe Thomas is an elite player at a premium position, and Richardson is a good young playmaker who probably has at least five productive seasons ahead of him barring any serious injuries.
Maybe the current braintrust realizes that drafting a near 30 year old QB wasn't that smart, and they're reasoning that until they have some hope at that position, nothing else really matters.
@JayGlazer: Browns source just confirmed they traded Trent RichardSon to Colts for first-rounder. Said he didn't fit what Chud's offense
Bad team that is playing from behind....Not much need for a clock killing RB
A Browns starter tells me: "It makes sense. Trent has some things he needs to figure out before he becomes a dominant player in the league."
Browns tackle Joe Thomas is also like the rest of us. Thomas texted me that he's "surprised" by the trade, too. Obvious vibe in Cleveland.
Surprised by Trent Richardson trade? You are not alone. Quarterback Brandon Weeden just sent me a text: "Shocked man. That's all I can say."
Another key starter on the Browns' offense sums up the Trent Richardson trade with one very simple word: "Weird."
For those that think Trent Ricahrdson isn't special because his YPC in his rookie year was so low:
-Ladainian Tomlinson averaged 3.6 YPC his rookie year
-Marshall Faulk averaged under 4.0 YPC over his first 3 years.
All three backs played with crappy QB's when they entered the league. Tomlinson and Faulk improved significantly with better QB's. I think this is a pretty damn good trade for the Colts, seeing as they likely pick in the teens.
Easy to forget the Browns handed their 4th, 5th, and 7th rounders to MN last year to trade places with MN and take Trent 3rd overall. Now he's dealt for a 1st rounder that's probably going to be around the low to mid 20's.
Couldn't be a better name for Cleveland than the factory of sadness.
This bears repeating.
Trent Richardson didn't mesh well with Rob Chudzinski, lobbied for carries, had bit of a diva attitude, per a source close to situation
Trent Richardson averaging 1.6 rush yards after contact in his NFL career (averaged 2.8 yards after contact in last season at Alabama)
Richardson's YPC distorts his level of play, as @fbgchase noted:
Should we go ahead and get the Bridgewater Browns jerseys ready? How does Jacksonville respond?
A look at the specific areas in which Trent Richardson improves the Colts
Does this trade make sense for the Browns? Here's my take:
Browns insist they're not giving up on the season
Also, quoting Trent Richardson's stats in CLE are pointless. He'll have bigger rushing lanes with real passing threat at QB.
Looking deeper into the Trent Richardson trade and liking it more for the Browns. Scouts help me explain why:
Browns 12 - Vikings 8 this weekend. That would be really fun.
Odd.
Browns fans must feel their team is never going to crawl out of that hole.
It puts pressure on the Jags to trade Maurice Jones-Drew to the Falcons for a bucket of boiled peanut.
unless the Vikings turn the ball over eleventy billion times, I just don't see any way they can lose to the pitiful Browns with Hoyer at QB.
If they do somehow lose to these stools, you'll probably find this in Gerg's locker:
Not a bad move for either side.
Browns aren't going anywhere anytime soon. They need future picks to rebuild the franchise.
Nice move for Indy. Don't have a great run blocking offensive line and their defense isn't good enough to take them deep enough in the playoffs, so I'm not sure this move makes them a contender but it gives them another element to the offense.
Ouch.
If I was a Brown fan I would be happy with this trade. In a league driven by QB play getting on of the top QB next year if the teams is not in one of the top 3 slots will be incredibly expensive. Pay now or latter, might was well make sure your team enough to get in one of the top draft slot. Still it is a risky move.
Bad team that is playing from behind....Not much need for a clock killing RB
Maybe they can draft a clock killing QB.
My first thought was its a little early to give up on the season...
The Packers didn't turn around and trade Rodgers afterwards.
Maybe a Joe Thomas and Tori Gurley deal could be worked out! 
quote:The Packers didn't turn around and trade Rodgers afterwards.
Um.. yea. If GB loses to a tough Cincy team on the road we'll hear the same stuff from the droolers. And they'll be wrong again. This year's version of the Green Bay Packers is going to be pretty special as the season rolls on.
And let's face it, if you're going to tank a season you really need to make a couple of drastic moves leading up to playing the Vikings. A win at the Metrodump would put a heavy damper on getting the #1 pick.
Remember what the great Jim Brown once said about Trent Richardson? "The problem is that he's ordinary. I think he's ordinary."
@AdamSchefter and owner Haslam made it a priority to mend team fences with Brown, who may have the owner's ear.
It's really ****ty for the fans and the guys in that locker room, but it makes sense. Richardson isn't an AP-caliber player that can single-handedly change an offense, so he's pretty much a luxury they don't need now.
As JJSD said, he'll likely be on the decline before they're even ready to compete. I don't think Bridgewater is a Luck or RG3 that can be a franchise savior, but I can see why they might have to take that chance.
Maybe the Browns owner (who is a die hard Steeler fan), wants to stick it to the Browns and make sure that the Steelers aren't the worst team in that division?
A few things:
- When you have to publicly insist that you're not giving up on the season, it means you have given up and it's become painfully obvious. The Jaguars have gotten pretty good at giving up on a season and not making brutally obvious, Browns need to take a page from their book.
- Yes it is a QB driven, pass first league, but the teams that have won the SB recently are teams with balance. I know Chud runs a pass first offense like Mike McCarthy, but even McCarthy had to realize they needed talent at RB and changed his line of thinking. Chud inherits a very talented, very young RB with a lot of upside and that RB doesn't fit his scheme? Clearly they're trying to be in a position to grab Bridgewater in the draft, but do they not understand that the biggest help to a young QB is a strong running game?
- I think any rumors that come out about Richardson being a "problem" or a "diva" should be taken with a grain of salt. They're in damage control mode right now and they're trying to justify this unusual move. If they can paint Richardson as a malcontent then it makes it easier to sell to the fanbase and the lockerroom.
- Why would the Colts give up so much for a guy whose team is giving up on him so quickly? He was the 3rd overall pick in the 2012 draft and his team is letting him go for a pick that will most likely be between 16-32...that's a big loss on their investment. If I were the Colts I would be very suspicious of this. Also to me it sends a mixed message about your franchise QB who is trying to replace a legend. Rather than sign a veteran RB and lean on Luck more, you make a big splash and acquire a big name RB. To me that says they're not comfortable letting Luck carry the team which is a big problem.
Even with Richardson CLE would've been there (in the running for the top pick) at the end.
I don't think it has anything to do with Andrew Luck "not carrying" the team. Indy has their QB and LT, some talent at WR, little at RB and they're in a division ripe for the taking this year. That pick will probably be in the mid-twenties. Their other offensive needs can be covered outside of the first round more easily so if they feel he's a great value for that pick, and they get him early, why not?
From Cleveland's side, I wouldn't be surprised if they plan on using the new staff honeymoon to its fullest advantage and that means even if they get a Bridgewater they might not force him to start right away. Patience and stability in Cleveland would be a nice switch from their recent history.
quote:Indy has [...] little at RB
You could give Joe Banner and Michael Lombardi 10 first round picks and they'd still manage to f*** it up.
