Browns trade TRENT RICHARDSON to Colts...

[warneckutz]

for a first round draft pick... thoughts?

The article on Fox Sports makes sense to me:

How does this benefit the Browns?
"Once CEO Joe Banner made Rob Chudzinski the head coach in January, they made a commitment to a high-flying, vertical passing game. In today’s NFL, you must be able to throw the ball at an elite level. Chudzinski hired Norv Turner as his offensive coordinator, who has a decorated history of employing an aerial assault. That’s not who Richardson is. He’s a running back who needs to be fed the ball 20-30 times a game to reap his true value. The Browns realized it and made the move."


How does this benefit the Colts?
"Indianapolis had an opening after starting running back Vick Ballard was lost for the season with a torn ACL last week.

By trading for Richardson, the Colts immediately bring in a tough-as-nails runner who they can pair with Ahmad Bradshaw. Richardson is a threat between the tackles and has above-average hands coming out of the backfield. Offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton has been known as a run-first mind since his days at Stanford and having a weapon like the second-year running back is a boon.

However, quarterback Andrew Luck could end up being the most thankful when all is said and done. Luck thrives on play-action and having a legitimate inside threat will have linebackers cheating forward. That should open up lanes for Luck to hit his big tight ends Coby Fleener and Dominique Jones"

 

[Larry Gude]

for a first round draft pick... thoughts?

The article on Fox Sports makes sense to me:
I]

I'd say there is nothing to add. Great move for both teams.

 

[Beta]

Sometimes I wonder if analysts are paying attention. In one breath, they talk about how the Browns want to pass a lot, so they don't need a "bruising" back. Then in the next, they're talking about an offense led by Andrew freaking Luck (a QB who should be used a ton) getting better with his addition because he'll open up throwing lanes and has "soft hands." So essentially, you took a team with no passing game and took away their one weapon, and you took a team with a great passing game and made them run the ball a little more. Sure, this probably helps the Colts (even though Bradshaw did well last week against a very good defensive front), but they overpaid.

Very strange though. The Browns could have kept Richardson, meaning they'd have at least one weapon on offense, and still gotten a top 3 pick, meaning they could get a new QB. What will a 2nd first round pick get them? A different, lower picked (Richardson was top 5) weapon? Please.

 

[warneckutz]

Sometimes I wonder if analysts are paying attention. In one breath, they talk about how the Browns want to pass a lot, so they don't need a "bruising" back. Then in the next, they're talking about an offense led by Andrew freaking Luck (a QB who should be used a ton) getting better with his addition because he'll open up throwing lanes and has "soft hands." So essentially, you took a team with no passing game and took away their one weapon, and you took a team with a great passing game and made them run the ball a little more. Sure, this probably helps the Colts (even though Bradshaw did well last week against a very good defensive front), but they overpaid.

Very strange though. The Browns could have kept Richardson, meaning they'd have at least one weapon on offense, and still gotten a top 3 pick, meaning they could get a new QB. What will a 2nd first round pick get them? A different, lower picked (Richardson was top 5) weapon? Please.

I figure it works out best for the Colts... If they stay mostly a passing team but have both Richardson and Bradshaw to keep the defense honest, that's a huge plus for them, in my opinion.

 

[Larry Gude]

I figure it works out best for the Colts... If they stay mostly a passing team but have both Richardson and Bradshaw to keep the defense honest, that's a huge plus for them, in my opinion.

Enormous.


A traditional big time running game with a power back and a speed back, has LONG been a key recipe for football success. When you add that component to a solid quarterback, as per the comments you posted, as per Luck, man, THAT is football magic.

Football, like war, is about who has the initiative, who is dictating what happens next. The offense starts with the advantage because they snap the ball and defenses, good ones, evolve to overcome that, to take away running games or passing or just be physically dominant thereby taking the initiative back and dictating what the offense has to try and do.

And, then, offenses evolve to over come whatever the best defenses are doing, shorter plays, sharper execution, screens, draws, deep passes, whatever, in order to regain the initiative. And one sure way to do that is to have a power back to wear you down, a speed back to run away from you and a solid qb to take advantage of everything else while the D has to adjust to stop or slow the run game.

This has the potential, in my view, to make the Colts legitimate contenders this year. This isn't about developing the precision of a Brady or Peyton Manning over time. This isn't about some clever new scheme. This is about beating people up and then cutting them up. This is basic football 101.

 

[Beta]

I guess, but a 1st round pick seems steep, especially when RBs are a dime a dozen these days, there are still some good RBs on the market if they aren't full-time starters, and the team probably isn't a true contender with all of the injuries they have stacking up already. They may make the playoffs, but they should have considered waiting for next year and using the 1st round pick on someone else.

 

[Beta]

Enormous.


A traditional big time running game with a power back and a speed back, has LONG been a key recipe for football success. When you add that component to a solid quarterback, as per the comments you posted, as per Luck, man, THAT is football magic.

Football, like war, is about who has the initiative, who is dictating what happens next. The offense starts with the advantage because they snap the ball and defenses, good ones, evolve to overcome that, to take away running games or passing or just be physically dominant thereby taking the initiative back and dictating what the offense has to try and do.

And, then, offenses evolve to over come whatever the best defenses are doing, shorter plays, sharper execution, screens, draws, deep passes, whatever, in order to regain the initiative. And one sure way to do that is to have a power back to wear you down, a speed back to run away from you and a solid qb to take advantage of everything else while the D has to adjust to stop or slow the run game.

This has the potential, in my view, to make the Colts legitimate contenders this year. This isn't about developing the precision of a Brady or Peyton Manning over time. This isn't about some clever new scheme. This is about beating people up and then cutting them up. This is basic football 101.

which one of them do you consider a "speed" back? The 5'9 225lb bruiser Richardson (4.45) or the 5'10 215lb bruiser Bradshaw (4.55)? They're both physical running backs, but Richardson has at least some speed. A speed back runs 4.4 or faster and it usually more of a scat back, i.e. similar height but weights 200 or less.

The Colts have already lost at least 2 of their OL for the year (C and LG), their TE, and then Ballard (who is obviously replaced by Richardson, for a 1st round pick). Hopefully they won't have any more injuries in this young season because they really can't afford them.

 

[Larry Gude]

...but they overpaid.

Very strange though. The Browns could have kept Richardson, meaning they'd have at least one weapon on offense, and still gotten a top 3 pick, meaning they could get a new QB. What will a 2nd first round pick get them? A different, lower picked (Richardson was top 5) weapon? Please.

This is the universal question. For whatever reason, and in spite of your sound reasoning, they, the Browns, thought they didn't want Richardson anymore. Maybe he's a locker room problem? Maybe because he was the one weapon, he was less of a threat receiving because teams simply decided 'stop Richardson, run or pass and we win'.

He's a certain level of threat on a certain type of team and more of a threat, or less, on another type.

 

[DipStick]

It was reported on a few shows that Richardson wanted out at Cleveland really bad. If you have a guy who doesn't want to be there, he's not going to be productive. Good trade, by both teams. Cleveland's wanting to play the draft. I doubt they'll have first overall pick seeing as they've already won one game and will probably win two or three more. Hopefully Teddy Bridgewater is checking out the real estate market in Jacksonville because the Jags have a monopoly on that first overall pick.