Colts Get Richardson For 1st Round Pick.

[Skairipa Matrix]

The Cleveland Browns on Wednesday traded former first-round pick Trent Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts for a first-round pick.

The deal was first reported by ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Cleveland selected Richardson with the third overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft out of Alabama.

Richardson has rushed for 105 yards on 31 carries in the first two games. He rushed for 950 yards and a Browns rookie record 11 touchdowns last season.

After carrying the ball 13 times for 47 yards in a season-opening loss to Miami in which he didn't receive a carry in the fourth quarter, Richardson said he wanted to a bigger role with the Browns. He made similar remarks during his rookie season while he played much of the campaign with broken ribs.

This is a huge trade and a shocking one at that. Richardson was the third overall pick in last years NFL draft which means the Colts now have the first and third overall picks from the 2012 draft. The Colts were in need of a strong RB and Bradshaw wasn't the answer so I gotta love this move as a Colts fan.

Do you guys think Richardson had a big falling out with someone important (possibly the head coach or owners?) in Cleveland which lead to this move? To me, that's the only possible way this deal would happen since Cleveland doesn't have much of anything else there.

 

[Ty Burna]

This pretty much just confirms that Cleveland is all in with Tanking for Teddy Bridgewater.

Put it like this, they have NOTHING on offense now. Not that T Rich was doing anything anyway. If they can't secure the top pick, now they have ammo to move up and get him with 2 1st round picks. They're basically mortgaging this season after 2 games on the hopes they can get their franchise QB.

I was joking with my buddy who's a huge Cleveland fan that Joe Thomas is next. OK maybe only half joking about it. The trade is horrible yes, they probably could have tanked just as well for Bridgwater without letting T Rich go, but this guarantees they got ammo for wheeling and dealing in the draft. If they're only a couple spots out of 1st, they'll have enough to move up to that spot.

As for Indy, this is big for them and Richardson. With an actual QB and passing game now, Richardson is going to have a far better opportunity to succeed rather than seeing 8 and 9 man fronts. Luck benefits with a running game to lean on, and overall Indy's offense just balanced out beautifully. Rather than garbage like Vick Ballard/Donald Brown and broken down running backs like Bradshaw, they got a blue chipper that's still developing. Luck needed help on offense, I think he got it.

 

[Big Sexy]

Great trade for Indy. They already have arguably the best young quarterback in the league in Andrew Luck and now they have arguably the best young running back in Trent Richardson. So far in his young career Richardson's numbers aren't anything to write home about but he also hasn't had anything close to resembling a good passing attack to take pressure off him. The Colts already have a ton of young talent so losing a first round pick that is likely going to be in the late teens won't hurt them.

On the flip side, I don't know what Cleveland is doing. First they make their third string qb the starter and now they trade away their most talented skill position player. Not to mention the fact that with Montario Hardesty and Dion Lewis on IR, the only running back active on their main roster is Bobby Rainey. You want to know how many carries Rainey has in his career? Zero. Fullback Chris Ogbonaya is the only one with any rushing experience on the current active roster. The Browns may have two first round picks for next year but they better hope they don't fuck them up because they have jack shit in terms of good talent at both the quarterback and now running back positions.

 

[Skairipa Matrix]

Just read that Cleveland is bringing in Willis McGahee for a physical and if he passes he'll be signed. Looks like he'll be the new RB there soon.

Looks like Trent and the owner had some issues recently. I wonder why Cleveland wouldn't ask for more than a 1st round pick though? I'm sure they could probably have gotten a bit more.

I think Richardson will do great in Indy now that he's not the only weapon on offense. Indy has Wayne and Hilton for good passing options so we'll see how this works out.

 

[Slash-LN]

As a Titans fan this is awful news. I don't need any teams in the AFC South getting better.
Maybe the Browns just wanted to get him out quick so they took less than what they might have gotten if they had taken a few weeks of negotiations.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

I took a nap this afternoon and a friend sends me a text that says "you got a rb" and at first I thought we was talking about our online franchise in Madden. Then I turn on the TV and find out they got Richardson, for a single pick. As a Colts fan this is huge. Vick Ballard had a nice rookie year last year, rushing for just north of 800 yards, but he is out for the year and while I think Bradshaw is a solid back, he is injury prone himself. With broken ribs and consistently facing eight and nine man fronts last year, Richardson ran for 950 yards. Even a half competent passing attack and Richardson breaks a thousand. The last Colt running back who broke a thousand was Joseph Addai in 2007. All it takes to hit that mark is average 62.5 yards a game. That shouldn't be difficult for a pro back, yet Indy hasn't had a consistent back since Edgerrin James. While they could have used that pick to help on the offensive line, a good back will help take pressure off Luck still.

For the Browns.....well sorry Harthan. Its completely obvious they are tanking for next year. Hell instead of starting Jason Campbell, a guy who is a former starter with solid stats, they are starting third string back Brian Hoyer in Weeden's absence. They have ten picks next year, including two picks in the 1st, 3rd, and 4th round. I'd make a joke that they have too many picks to get it wrong at QB next year, but last year they took the 28 year old rookie from a gimmick offense at OK St over Russell Wilson. In 2011 they passed on Andy Dalton and Kaepernick(In fairness they didn't draft a QB that year) in 2010 they took Colt McCoy in a poor QB year, in '09 they traded a pick that turned into Mark Sanchez(arguably the best QB related move they have made in recent years), their '08 draft was traded away the year before for Brady Quinn, '07 was Brady Quinn. It isn't just quarterbacks though, the Browns don't draft well. Since 1999, the year they took Tim Couch #1, they haven't drafted well. In that time they draft only six Pro Bowlers, two of whom, Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards, they traded before their rookie contracts were up.

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

This pretty much just confirms that Cleveland is all in with Tanking for Teddy Bridgewater.

If they can't secure the top pick, now they have ammo to move up and get him with 2 1st round picks.

Yeah the problem with this logic is their biggest competition for the #1 pick seems to be Jacksonville, who's just awful. Will Jacksonville give up their shot at Bridgewater if they have the #1 pick, even for an extra first rounder? Who knows. They're in more trouble than Cleveland is right now. At least Cleveland has the pieces to compete in games. Jacksonville doesn't. Maybe that means they'll trade for more picks. Maybe not. Their QB position is a glaring hole.

As for the trade itself, it helps the Colts a lot. That's a pretty damn good 1-2 punch in Richardson-Bradshaw. Plus the pressure it should help take off of Luck.

The Browns...well yeah they're tanking. At this point, when they've clearly declared the season lost, why not start your 3rd stringer and see what he can do? They know what Jason Campbell is going to get them, and it's nothing special. Why not take a shot? This is nothing new to Browns fans anyways.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Mike Lombardi wants to build his own team. Richardson wasn't his guy and has been somewhat of a problem so I guess they sold him for 75 cents on the dollar. I guess that's pretty good deal considering any player's value is only likely going to go down as the season wears on. Maybe Lombardi believes that you need to establish your QB position before you bring in the accompanying brash RB.

As a Richardson fantasy owner in a 3 man keeper PPR league I really like this trade. The Colts are going to have far more offensive plays than the Browns and this should lead to more touches.

Colts fans should be very pleased. They filled a need without giving up their future. Richardson will help them grind out and control more games. Less having to rely on Luck and everyone gets better. The only question is how long does it take Richardson to learn the offense? What are they sacrificing in the short term to get better this season?

Browns fans should just shrug. It is what it is, unless you're a season ticket holder in which case you should take Mike Lombardi hostage and ask for your money back. Everything in Cleveland is up in the air and the only this that is obvious is that if Cleveland is going to get good it is going to take a couple of years.

 

[#tamale]

Mike Lombardi wants to build his own team.

This.

Lombardi is a Belichick guy. He knows he needs a top level QB for 2014 and he values that more than a RB. The strategy is interesting. That defense is solid so they may just go with completely overhauling the offense next off-season. Plus, Hakeem Nicks and Ben Tate will be available.

Richardson will fit in with the Colts and the AFC South looks interesting, but I still think Houston will come away with that division.

 

[Con T.]

This pretty much sums it up:

That's essentially what the Browns are going for here. The Colts are going to have a middling pick; at best, it could be a mid first round pick, at worst a late first round pick. When Washington traded their first round picks to the Rams, absolutely no one could have expected Griffin would be so good immediately, or that the Redskins could be a playoff team. The Colts are a team that everyone sees as a viable playoff team.

My point is, if you're looking to trade the picks, you'd better find the right moron, especially when you consider most of the stinky teams this year (Jags, Raiders, Bucs) will likely be in the market for a quarterback. And if you're going to keep the pick, recent history doesn't exactly favor the Browns. Need I remind you;

1999 Tim Couch
2000 Courtney Brown
2001 Gerard Warren
2002 William Green
2003 Jeff Faine
2004 Kellen Winslow II
2005 Braylon Edwards
2006 Kamerion Wimbley
2007 Joe Thomas
2007 Brady Quinn
2009 Alex Mack
2010 Joe Haden
2011 Phil Taylor
2012 Trent Richardson
2012 Brandon Weeden
2013 Barkevious Mingo

Of all the Cleveland Browns, the Cleveland Browns and the Clevelandiest Browniest I know

 

[LSN80]

The Colts are going to have a middling pick; at best, it could be a mid first round pick, at worst a late first round pick. The Colts are a team that everyone sees as a viable playoff team.

And now, as a solid contender. Luck should be even better in his second year, and T.Y. Hilton should mature as a WR as well, giving Reggie Wayne help. Ahmad Bradshaw and Trent Richardson should be as solid a speed/power back combo as there is in the NFL, and both backs are good pass-catchers that should be viable options for Luck as well. Cody Fleener should emerge as well with Dwayne Allen's season ending injury. They also spent their draft picking 3 defensive players with their first four picks, giving them needed help and depth.

This could turn out to be a late first round pick, although it could be argued this is the equivalent of the Browns throwing their season, and ensuring the #1 pick. But, as you said, that hasn't worked out so well for them either. Other then Richardson, Quinn, Winslow, and Mingo, the rest are out of football, and three of the four aren't with the Browns.

I want to reserve judgment, but this comes off as a horrible trade. They trade away the back that was supposed to be the cornerstone for rebuilding their franchise. But just a year later, they give up on him one game into his second season, and trade him for a #1 pick that will likely come from a playoff team, one that could go deeper then the Wild Card game this year as well.

They might get the top pick as well, but it seems a weak class right now. Only Teddy Bridgewater feels like a legitimate top pick, with Jadeveon Clowney, and Tajh Boyd in the mix as well. As for their second pick, one would think they would want to grab a RB, but De'Anthony Thomas, the top rated back, lined up in the slot as much as he did the backfield last season.

Perhaps he would be the perfect pick for Cleveland, if still there, as they need help at both WR and RB.

Either way, I'd like to reserve judgment and see how this plays out. But I'd argue that they need to finish with the worst record in the NFL and land Bridgewater for this to even be looked at as a possibility for future success, then hit a home run as well with the second #1 pick. I'm not sold on Anthony myself, as he's a borderline bottom 1st/top 2nd draft pick.