NFL Week 3 thread, Trent Richardson is a Colt

[ColtCrazy]

I'm quietly optimistic about this trade. I like Richardson, have since college. And I'm mostly sure his struggles are because of the lack of talent that has surrounded him at Cleveland. I think he has potential.

The big if, obviously, is health. If he can provide 1100 yards and 10 TDs, that takes pressure off Luck and it's a nice trade.

Sure, Cleveland is tanking….but I've always had a soft spot for the Browns, even been to a few games up there. Assuming this new front office can draft, the Browns have the potential to really come away with a stacked 2014 draft.

If Richardson stays healthy and the Browns don't whiff on the draft, it's a win-win. Luck-Richardson-Hilton-Fleener provide a nice offensive core for years to come.

It'll be a few years before we tell who comes out ahead on this.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

I think that Richardson could become a star in Indy.

Think about this: Is Indy disappointed to lose the pick next year? No there will be a lot of enthusiasm surrounding this. For all the naysayers a year later, nobody was really questioning the pick when it was made, other than who he was picked behind.

Conversely, is Cleveland excited about that probable late first round pick? I bet Hoyer isn't excited to not be having to hand the ball to Richardson this week.

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Atocep

I think it's a good trade for both teams. The browns have a new GM that doesn't have attachment to Richardson and it's hard to argue that he's worth more than a pick in the 20s. On the other hand the colts need a running back and get one that is league average-ish.

This trade probably helps make the Browns better in the long run than if they just kept Richardson and the trade makes the Colts better right now and for the the next couple of years.

I really don't see how this is a bad trade.

"". Trent Richardson was wasted on the browns, and there aren't many RB's around I would trade a 1st round pick for. The price they paid a year ago has ZERO relevancy to his value now - and only has 2.5 years left on the "cheap" contract.

[Logan]

Guy carries around the label of "injury-prone" yet he's a running back who fought through broken ribs all season and didn't take a seat until the last week of the season. I would love a player like that.

I've been a big fan of his talent since college and think he'll thrive in Indy once he gets up to speed. Drawing SF and SEA in the next three weeks could hurt his numbers though.

[HomerSimpson98]

Does anyone know if there has been any proven, tangible evidence and punishment for NFL teams tanking a season? I would say that a punishment is fan apathy and lack of ticket sales, so they get pounded in the checkbook which is a good teacher of cause and effect. But has there been a situation that the league disallowed a trade (behind the scenes) or similar?

[Logan]

Don't think so. Very hard to prove. And for what it's worth, the guys who are left certainly will be playing their hardest...it's how you end up not being paralyzed.

As much as I like Richardson, this trade dropped them from maybe a 5 or 6 win team to probably a 3 or 4 win team (their defense is pretty solid, I think the #1 pick talk is a bit crazy).

[Julio Riddols]

The sad thing for Cleveland is even by tanking they will still not be worse than the Jaguars, so it really seems silly. I don't really see it as tanking though, they are losing a RB that has been maybe marginally better than an average street FA so far. The more I think about it, the more it feels like a great deal for the Browns though, getting a decent 1st round pick for a back that isn't worth a 3rd.

[Coffee Warlord]

Really hoping McGahee fails his physical, just to see the ensuing hilarity.

[Ronnie Dobbs3]

Unless the RB is transcendent I feel like a 1st is more valuable.


Top 10 rushers last year, and where they were drafted:

1 Adrian Peterson 1.7
2 Alfred Morris 6.3
3 Marshawn Lynch 1.12
4 Jamaal Charles 3.10
5 Doug Martin 1.31
6 Arian Foster UDFA
7 Stevan Ridley 3.9
8 C.J. Spiller 1.9
9 Chris Johnson 1.24
10 Frank Gore 3.1

So 3 of the top 10 were drafted with a higher pick that Cleveland is likely to receive.

[chinaski]

These are awesome!

Redesigned Logos for Every NFL Team | Bleacher Report

[JPhillips]

Cincinnati's looks like a weird tiger shrimp.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Looking forward to the game tonight. Obviously, the story here is Andy Reid's return, though it's still a huge opportunity game for the Chiefs.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

The sad thing for Cleveland is even by tanking they will still not be worse than the Jaguars, so it really seems silly. I don't really see it as tanking though, they are losing a RB that has been maybe marginally better than an average street FA so far. The more I think about it, the more it feels like a great deal for the Browns though, getting a decent 1st round pick for a back that isn't worth a 3rd.

Everyone seems to assume tanking has to mean a top 2 pick and one of Clowney/Bridgewater. I like both players, but I don't think they're transcendent talents like a Luck or Manning where there's some obvious NBA-like dropoff after pick #2. It should be a pretty deep draft at QB too - Hundley, Manziel, Mccarron, Murray, Boyd, Braxton Miller, Devin Gardner, Mariotta, Derek Carr are all names I've seen thrown around as potential 1st round picks (disagree on Miller, Gardner, maybe Mccarron). Not all of those will pan out (or even come out this year), but this could be a draft where a couple very good QB's go in the mid-late 1st, or even 2nd/3rd rounds. Cleveland also now has 2 picks in Rounds 1, 3 and 4 if they do want to trade up.

[JPhillips]

What's worse, Cleveland trying to suck and still being better than Jacksonville or Jacksonville trying to be better and still being worse than Cleveland?

[Julio Riddols]

Oakland being somewhere in the middle of the two.

[Julio Riddols]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Everyone seems to assume tanking has to mean a top 2 pick and one of Clowney/Bridgewater. I like both players, but I don't think they're transcendent talents like a Luck or Manning where there's some obvious NBA-like dropoff after pick #2. It should be a pretty deep draft at QB too - Hundley, Manziel, Mccarron, Murray, Boyd, Braxton Miller, Devin Gardner, Mariotta, Derek Carr are all names I've seen thrown around as potential 1st round picks (disagree on Miller, Gardner, maybe Mccarron). Not all of those will pan out (or even come out this year), but this could be a draft where a couple very good QB's go in the mid-late 1st, or even 2nd/3rd rounds. Cleveland also now has 2 picks in Rounds 1, 3 and 4 if they do want to trade up.

Agreed. I don't think they're losing much in Richardson, wouldn't be surprised if they fared a bit better with McGahee.

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

It should be a pretty deep draft at QB too - Hundley, Manziel, Mccarron, Murray, Boyd, Braxton Miller, Devin Gardner, Mariotta, Derek Carr are all names I've seen thrown around as potential 1st round picks

You might want to double check if some of those guys can actually go in next year's draft.

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by Matthean

You might want to double check if some of those guys can actually go in next year's draft.

You might want to read his next sentence.

[mckerney]

So Cleveland announces their 3rd string QB will start and then trades their starting RB before signing a replacement that teams didn't even bring in to training camp because of injury concerns. And now they'll be playing on the road against the Vikings.

If I've learned anything from following the Vikings it's that Minnesota has almost no chance of winning this week. The game looks like it should be an easy win so they'll find some spectacular way to lose it.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I hope this trade ends up working out for the Browns.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Matthean

You might want to double check if some of those guys can actually go in next year's draft.

Manziel, Hundley and Mariota are all RS Sophomores, the rest upperclassmen (with Murray/Boyd/McCarron/Carr out of eligibility iirc). Not all the underclassmen will declare, but you'd have to bet at least 2 will shoot up draft boards and choose to go for it (and then at least 1 will be rumored as a potential #1 overall pick and fall to the bottom of the 1st round).

As long as a team is willing to go with and can utilize a mobile quarterback, these next couple drafts are going to be real deep. Use your own top 5 pick on a lineman or WR (if you think a Mike Evans is the next AJ Green) and then use the lower 1st or a 2nd on a QB and try to find the next Wilson/Kaepernick.

[Lathum]

The eagles should draft Manziel and sit him a season behind Vick. He would be nasty in that offense.

[Danny]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

Oakland being somewhere in the middle of the two.

Oakland will be better than both. After last week dont really think they should be in the same tier as Jacksonville. Not saying they are good though, they are in the next tier of suckitude.

[Lathum]

wow, Eagles look sloppy

[RedKingGold]

Alex Smith is still Alex Smith.

[Lathum]

WTF is wrong with the Chief receivers? The Eagles secondary is not that good.

[RedKingGold]

Alex Smith is still Alex Smith.

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by RedKingGold

Alex Smith is still Alex Smith.

Yep. He won't throw downfield and never tries to make a play happen with his arm. If it's not open, it's not going to get thrown.

[BillJasper]

Looks like defenses are going to slowly but surely figure out what the Eagles are doing on offense and ways to slow it down.

I can't believe the Colts are going to have Richardson out there this weekend against the 49ers. Guy is going to know absolutely zero about the offense. It'll be terrible if he doesn't know a blocking assignment and ends up getting Luck hurt.

[RedKingGold]

That being said, I still think I would want Alez Smith over Mike Vick.

[RedKingGold]

A.J. Jenkins sighting!

[Lathum]

Not getting TDs from all these turnovers is going to bite the Chiefs in the ass, they should be up by 2 scores right now

[korme]

1st half making me happy to have Ryan Succop.

[Lathum]

Uh Oh, McCoy is down holding what looks like his shin

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by BillJasper

Looks like defenses are going to slowly but surely figure out what the Eagles are doing on offense and ways to slow it down.

I can't believe the Colts are going to have Richardson out there this weekend against the 49ers. Guy is going to know absolutely zero about the offense. It'll be terrible if he doesn't know a blocking assignment and ends up getting Luck hurt.

Luck gets hit 30% more than any other quarterback in the league - even guys like Vick and Roethlisberger - so I doubt switching the primary back is going to be the difference there. Plus you know, they don't have to play Richardson every down. They'll play him in a limited number of formations and play calls where he understands his responsibilities.

[cuervo72]

Wait, 35 on the kicking team? WTF?

[Matthean]

"Playing against these guys twice, just seeing how they are around each other when they're on the sideline, how they're jelling together, just being in the locker room for these couple hours, it's been a big change. They're happy to come to work, and they're ready to go."

So what you are saying Trent is, people like playing on a winning team.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Dear Philly Fan,

Not every injury TO is a fake injury.

[Lathum]

These Thursday night games are an abomination.

[RendeR]

I think we may be overlooking something in this Richardson trade. Cleveland hasn't had a credible passing attack in the last decade. Teams routinely send 8 and 9 into the box to stuff the run. Richardson has been running every game against a stacked defense.

Next week with Indianapolis, teams CANNOT stack the box against him, if they do its suicide.

Indy just bought their offense the freedom to attack in any dimension they wish to from here on out.

I think we may look back on this as the beginning of something seriously longterm in this league.

I could be wrong, but when I think about how teams ignore the run entirely against the colts now and how they no longer can do that, Luck suddenly scares the living shit out of my defensive coordinator persona.

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by Lathum

These Thursday night games are an abomination.

Why? You'd rather watch your beloved Giants lose on Thursdays instead?

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by RendeR

Why? You'd rather watch your beloved Giants lose on Thursdays instead?

?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Big touchdown for the Chiefs. Such a luxury to have Charles in the backfield.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by RedKingGold

That being said, I still think I would want Alez Smith over Mike Vick.

I'm surprised that this is even a question. Smith is much more consistent than Vick.

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by Lathum

?

Why is this game any more of an abomination then any other? Not every game can be the broncos electric boogaloo Show or the defensive war that the AFC North games are, why are they abominations? Simply because its on thursday?

[RendeR]

Damn nice run by McCoy.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by RendeR

Why is this game any more of an abomination then any other? Not every game can be the broncos electric boogaloo Show or the defensive war that the AFC North games are, why are they abominations? Simply because its on thursday?

Yes!

And that god awful city song they keep playing...

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by RendeR

Damn nice run by McCoy.

Yes, was really worried when he was down earlier.

[EagleFan]

That was a nice potential swing in a few plays. Now if the defense can hold.

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

Yes!

And that god awful city song they keep playing...

LOL, thats not the GAME's fault dude =)