Article - Colts will regret Richardson trade

[bestQBever]

Fyi, that's the title of the article not how I feel.

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9906866/the-browns-had-good-sense-trade-rb-trent-richardson-making-indy-problem

well, honestly, Donald brown is the better running back right now. The good thing about donald is that he gets all the yards he can possibly get on a play. The bad thing about T-rich is that he can not predict where a hole is gonna be and is most of the time extremely late at hitting the hole. Donald brown excels at just that. Honestly, I'd like to see more from brown and less from richardson. I'm done making excuses for this guy. Unless he makes something happen this game or maybe the next, he's a huge trade bust. I know you richardson believers are gonna bash me on this one but I've officially turned to the dark side of this matter.

[MrJaffer]

I always blame the offensive line when a RB isn't doing well. Cause it's not about the RB, it's about the offensive line. Why? Cause EVERYTHING starts up front!!!

Take for example the 49ers. How is it that Kendall Hunter, LaMicheal James, & Dixon can get positive yards just like Frank Gore to keep their running game going? Because they have a DOMINATE offensive line!

When you get a line, we could pick ANYONE to run behind it & they'll produce. We could even pick some of you guys of this forum to run behind a good offensive line & you'll do good! Stop bashing Trent Richardson for what's really Satele & McGlynn's fault!!!!

Hilarious post. This is the exact reason why most people don't like the T-Rich trade. The run game does start with the line, and that allows us to plug in a much cheaper running back. Not a guy that barely averages 3 ypc and costs a first round pick. We saw last year a rookie 5th round pick in Ballard be just as successful.

The colts biggest need is improving the O-Line, which we could have done with a first round pick...either through a trade or a draft.

[open window]

Uh oh TK24...You are bringing up SW1's worst subjects in school. You do a nice job explaining your work so SW1 will let it slide.   Interesting formula you got there. I will believe you before Jeffri Chadiha anyway. Who spells Jeffery with an i anyway? Strange...Okay, forget it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiXM7NynrpY

[TMPHBITEU]

You act as if low pick means "low round" pick. A 1st round pick still makes great impact on the team, especially when you have grigs picking the player ;). I don't mind the Richardson trade but just clarifying that you're underestimating the worth of a 24th-32 pick...

Seeing as Grigs picked Richardson, the "especially" part of that argument becomes moot.

[GwinnettColt]

The Colts didn't get Richardson for the long yardage plays.  Brown's better for that as he's faster.  Once he gets past the linebackers, he's gone.  Richardson is a short yardage back than can pull the pile.  He's good for your 3rd and 2.

[Gabriel Alexander Morillo]

Seeing as Grigs picked Richardson, the "especially" part of that argument becomes moot.

that was a trade. I'm saying if he had opted to keep and draft that the chances are he would have found a legit starter. imo

[ColtJ82]

imo we will start passing more from the power run formation, watch what happens then.

If we can get the play action pass going, Fleener should eat it up.

[MTC]

Majority of teams in need of a RB would trade for a first rounder for T-Rich following being picked THIRD overall in 2012. Dude obviously has talent and obviously Alabama had one of the better lines in college meaning until we get better on the inside line, Richardson should pan out well.

[NewEra]

I will gladly eat crow if he turns out to be a top 5 RB for the rest of this season and next season. Him becoming a serviceable or decent RB is not feat deserving of crow ... We traded a 1st for an elite RB, I expect to see an "elite" RB not the same thing a bunch of RBs from rounds 2-7 are doing.

Top 5? Oh you mean like Brown? He was a low first also. I thought you were saying he was an average back? Might of been someone else. Hard to keep track with all the Trent hate.

The dude picks up the pass. Grinds out the yards that are not even there most of the time. Is NOT even used in the passing game but yeah. That's all his fault. Got it....moving on

[UKColt13]

I put a lot of his struggles on the line. Whils they have improved as a pass blocking unit, they just haven't got the push to open running lanes for him.

I agree with some of the Brown assessments on here though. Tackling Richardson 18/19 times a game seriously wears down a defense and allows Brown to utilize his speed up the middle and on the edge. Got to give some credit to Brown as well though he has improved as a runner and doesn't dance nearly as much as he used to.

[UKColt13]

I complained about the trade before the talking heads got going, so I am not "mimicking" anyone.  Yes, I think could have gotten a running back to give us average production that was unsigned or on another teams practice squad.  Worst case scenario we give a much lower pick for someones back up ... we probably could have gotten TRICH's fellow overrated alum Melvin Ingram for much less.

 

Oh I can play this game too ... as was Roddy White, Joe Staley, and Chris Johnson... this is an endless game ... my point was that there is a lot of talent still to be had at the end of the first round ... no its not a sure thing, but no draft pick is and I would rather take my chances in the 1st round of the draft than try to fix some other team's broken cast off.

I disagree. Trent wasn't broken. The team was. He was a few yards off of being a thousand yard back last season whilst seeing stacked boxes constantly.

I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for this year and once we get our O line healthy and get D Allen back and and mix in Vick Ballard, then I'll expect to see some dividends getting paid.

[Valpo2004]

PFF has been watching all his carries and have said that he's doing good getting what yards he does get because on most of his carries he's avoiding a tackle 2 yards into the backfield.  

 

I feel like if we improve our center he'll start seeing more running lanes.  There is still work to do to make this team better.  

[Mick]

Trent is averaging 3 yds a carry in short time here. When he gets to 5 per carry he will be considered a workhorkhorse. Thats good news for colts. Trading for Trent was a good call. He is a proven back and will be a valued asset as he gets further along in his learning. Happy to see him. A bird in the hand is better than 5 in the bush, watch and you see! Good job managment!

[esmort]

Top 5? Oh you mean like Brown? He was a low first also. I thought you were saying he was an average back? Might of been someone else. Hard to keep track with all the Trent hate.

The dude picks up the pass. Grinds out the yards that are not even there most of the time. Is NOT even used in the passing game but yeah. That's all his fault. Got it....moving on

 

Yes, he has to be a top 5 back over the rest of this season and next for me to retract my statements and "eat crow" on my statement about this trade.  He was touted as this the best RB to come out since AP and other such accolades when he was drafted.  And when we traded for him everyone was still saying he was this "elite" RB ... so for me to eat crow I want to see "elite" and I think top 5 is being generous. 

 

I don't think asking an "elite" 1st round pick to be in the mix with AP(1st rnd pick), J.Charles (3rd rnd pick), L. McCoy (2nd rnd pick), M. Lynch (1st rnd pick), F. Gore (3rd rnd pick), A. Morris (6th rnd pick) ... I know this will change by the end of the year and you could argue different stats you want to rank the top 5 on, but these were just the easiest (Yahoo year to date stats) to pull up and I think clearly illustrate why I think top 5 is not an unjustifiable benchmark for an "elite 1st round pick" like TRICH, since only 2 of the top 6 were drafted in the 1st round.

 

No, I do not mean like Brown. Just because we spent a 1st on Brown (which I also did not like) doesn't justify wasting another 1st.  As far as the first goes I have already been on this merry go round, Wayne was also a low 1st so naming 1st round misses doesn't justify anything.

 

I did say TRICH was an average back ... I meant it more as "run of the mill" rather than average by the numbers when I made the statement, but by either measure hes unspectacular.

 

Joseph Addai was an excellent blocker too, but not an "elite" running back  ... TRICH's grinding is not worth a 1st round draft pick. Maybe they don't use him in the passing game because he watched a perfectly thrown screen pass bounce off his hands.

 

He is running behind just as good of line as Ballard and Bradshaw had. If Bradshaw had not gotten hurt TRICH would look even worse, because Bradshaw would have a better YPC and be breaking off bigger runs just like before the injury.

[Cynjin]

Yes, he has to be a top 5 back over the rest of this season and next for me to retract my statements and "eat crow" on my statement about this trade.  He was touted as this the best RB to come out since AP and other such accolades when he was drafted.  And when we traded for him everyone was still saying he was this "elite" RB ... so for me to eat crow I want to see "elite" and I think top 5 is being generous. 

 

I don't think asking an "elite" 1st round pick to be in the mix with AP(1st rnd pick), J.Charles (3rd rnd pick), L. McCoy (2nd rnd pick), M. Lynch (1st rnd pick), F. Gore (3rd rnd pick), A. Morris (6th rnd pick) ... I know this will change by the end of the year and you could argue different stats you want to rank the top 5 on, but these were just the easiest (Yahoo year to date stats) to pull up and I think clearly illustrate why I think top 5 is not an unjustifiable benchmark for an "elite 1st round pick" like TRICH, since only 2 of the top 6 were drafted in the 1st round.

 

No, I do not mean like Brown. Just because we spent a 1st on Brown (which I also did not like) doesn't justify wasting another 1st.  As far as the first goes I have already been on this merry go round, Wayne was also a low 1st so naming 1st round misses doesn't justify anything.

 

I did say TRICH was an average back ... I meant it more as "run of the mill" rather than average by the numbers when I made the statement, but by either measure hes unspectacular.

 

Joseph Addai was an excellent blocker too, but not an "elite" running back  ... TRICH's grinding is not worth a 1st round draft pick. Maybe they don't use him in the passing game because he watched a perfectly thrown screen pass bounce off his hands.

 

He is running behind just as good of line as Ballard and Bradshaw had. If Bradshaw had not gotten hurt TRICH would look even worse, because Bradshaw would have a better YPC and be breaking off bigger runs just like before the injury.

 

 

Your expectation that Richardson has to be a top 5 rb for the trade to be considered good is way, way over the top.  If he becomes a top 5 rb by next year then the Colts absolutely got a steal.

[esmort]

Your expectation that Richardson has to be a top 5 rb for the trade to be considered good is way, way over the top.  If he becomes a top 5 rb by next year then the Colts absolutely got a steal.

 

I don't expect him to be "good" I expect him to be elite ... you don't spend a 1st round pick on just a "good" RB.

[HorseFly]

I don't expect him to be "good" I expect him to be elite ... you don't spend a 1st round pick on just a "good" RB.

 

Well, see...That's your problem. 

 

You expect eliteness within four games of a new team...midseason, mind you.  My guess you expected it the first time he saw the field with the Colts, not logical or very practical on your part.  Were you ever elite within a month of changing jobs?

 

It's fine to expect a player to be very good, but not midseason first year...and not without a good deal of work on both the player's and team's part.  This time next year, and we're still having the same discussion, you'll have a point.

[YOUR GM]

Tackling Trent Richardson numerous times will do that to you. Wears down the defense, Brown comes in and benefits.

You guys don't know that formula yet? That's basic football science & math

E + X × Power of E = Big gains in running yards

E is Trent Richardson.

X is Donald Brown

So add Trent Richardson to Donald Brown then times the power of Trent Richardson that wears down the defense and it equals big gains for Donald Brown

 

 

I see the legend of Trent lives on. This guy is approaching Chuck Norris levels of legend. He's done absolutely nothing since he's been here. Nobody is scared of him. I guess I will give credit and congratulate him on being the world's highest paid tenderizer. *claps*

[The Lucky Neck Beard]

alright, 3 years ago most of our runs ended at or behind the line of scrimage... Keeping that in mind, TRich is not netting 3 yards a carry its more like 5-6 Colts yards per carry... Use your imagination and put Addai against the stacked boxes that we are seeing now... SCARY 

 

Brown is netting more yards per carry, but he runs on pass plays.  he is not running against the same stacked boxes.  He is running against players falling back into coverage, who are already tired out from taking out Richardson.  

 

I don't know I don't think he is doing poorly. I feel like as the team continues to gel we are going to be wicked good.

[BOTT]

I disagree. Trent wasn't broken. The team was. He was a few yards off of being a thousand yard back last season whilst seeing stacked boxes constantly.

I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for this year and once we get our O line healthy and get D Allen back and and mix in Vick Ballard, then I'll expect to see some dividends getting paid.

He saw stacked boxes 18% of the time....the league average was 23%

[House]

Colts fans actively rooting against Colts players to feed their own egos.

This is a weird place sometimes.

[oldunclemark]

I worry about TRich being over-rated.  Bradshaw ran well behind this line against San Francisco.  Ballard had a great rookie campaign with virtually the same line last season.  How long does it take for an NFL RB to reach his potential?  Shouldn't we see glimpses of it at some point this season now that the remaining schedule is a great deal more friendly?  

Supposedly, even the great Jim Brown once described him as average.

..We will regret it ..

.... you don't use a No.1 draft choice on a running back....before the draft..most everybody here said that.

but he's on his rookie deal....5 years right and this is year 2...

...we've got to find a way to make him more productive..

...but his numbers are not good

[Smonroe]

..We will regret it ...... you don't use a No.1 draft choice on a running back....before the draft..most everybody here said that.but he's on his rookie deal....5 years right and this is year 2......we've got to find a way to make him more productive.....but his numbers are not good

I always said you generally don't use a 1 on an RB. Of course there are exceptions, like where you pick and if you're already loaded.

But this is such a moot topic. We did use our 1, there's no taking it back. Why continually revisit it?

We have a good, maybe very good RB who, like you said, will be cheap for a while. Let's see if we can use him effectively, that's what matters now.

Get over it people.

[oldunclemark]

There's some blinders on here, Monroe....we're hard on Donald Brown, Coby or DHB or the dearly departed Jerry Hughes and a half dozen others..

...we need the Rich man to beat 3.5 yards a carry down the stretch....

...but its a results based league and there's no results yet

[jskinnz]

 

Firstly, I would like to state that I did not call the person who said he lacks explosiveness dumb. I was simply expressing my opinion that the statement is dumb.

I think something is being lost in translation here. Could you please tell me what you would describe as explosive just so we are on the same wavelength? To clarify, when I say explosive I am talking about being able to apply a large force over a very short period of time.

And please forgive me, I am snowed under with college work so I do not really have the time to go back and review plays to give you specific examples but I have seen several plays where he has 'exploded' over tacklers at the line of scrimge to gain yards he has no business getting.

I fully comprehend that you were calling the opinion of the Browns staffer lack of explosiveness comment dumb and not the staffer himself.

Maybe it is simply a different take on what explosiveness is. To me, it is seeing him do something that no one else can do or at least a few can do. It can be a speed thing or a power thing or a quickness thing or a combination of all those elements. There is nothing so far that suggests that he isn't just a run of the mill back because he lacks the explosiveness in question.

Now go back to my first post. The sample size to this point is still small. Maybe that will come with comfort in the offense. Maybe it never comes but he still productive. But to say he is explosive I think is just not right.

[NewEra]

There's some blinders on here, Monroe....we're hard on Donald Brown, Coby or DHB or the dearly departed Jerry Hughes and a half dozen others..

...we need the Rich man to beat 3.5 yards a carry down the stretch....

...but its a results based league and there's no results yet

Sure there is. It's called first down efficiency, then there's that #1 stat. Wins and losses. Pretty sure we're doing good there as well.

[Cynjin]

I don't expect him to be "good" I expect him to be elite ... you don't spend a 1st round pick on just a "good" RB.

How many elite players, not just rbs, come out of the first round? The answer is very few, so as I said your expectations are way over the top. If Grigson can get an elite player every time he picks in the first round then he will be the best GM ever by far, no one else will even be in the conversation. Again, that type of expectation is just not based in reality.

[Clem-Dog]

If the Colts were to rely solely on Donald to carry the load then based off of his history he'd be injured by now.  He is nothing more than a third down back at best.  There is a reason he was given this change-of-pace role as opposed to feeding him 20 carries a game.

 

On the other hand Trent is a bell-cow, he can carry the load because his body is made for it.  His problems arise when he is forced to run between the tackles.  Unfortunately, we have a rookie and two inferior veterans opening holes for him.  It also doesn't help that our offense is very predictable.  I know that if I can predict running plays then NFL defenses have no problem dissecting the play.

 

I agree with other posters on here who've called for more play-action and pass attempts out of our power-formations.  I also think it would be beneficial to start taking deep shots from the very first possession because if anything can stretch a defense and take the safeties out of the box, it is Andrew's ability to launch the football 75 yards.  Last year when Ballard excelled it was because Andrew was a threat to throw for 400 yards per game, this year he has a cap of 250 yards.  It makes a huge difference. 

 

So maybe Trent can't "take it to the house", but neither could Edge or Addai. 

[Warhorse]

The whole "I will gladly eat crow" is a bunch of mularky. Complaining about a guy 25 times for instance...over weeks, in multiple threads, is not erased with crow eating by a couple admissions.

 

It would take stating that you were wrong....25 times, over weeks, in multiple threads. We all know that has never happened, and will never happen. So save it.

[husker61]

people are making the argument about a 1st round pick not always being a good player. that's true. sometimes they are sometimes they aren't. but that is after judging a player on his play against college players, that's why it's tough to evaluate a player. here, the colts had a entire year of seeing him play against nfl players so this argument makes no sense at all. just another reach posters are using to justify the trade.

 

the people defending the trade are using a lot of what if's, and the people against the trade are using the hard facts of his nfl record.

[husker61]

The whole "I will gladly eat crow" is a bunch of mularky. Complaining about a guy 25 times for instance...over weeks, in multiple threads, is not erased with crow eating by a couple admissions.

 

It would take stating that you were wrong....25 times, over weeks, in multiple threads. We all know that has never happened, and will never happen. So save it.

 

so you and everyone else that agrees with the trade would do the same thing? i highly doubt that.

[NewEra]

people are making the argument about a 1st round pick not always being a good player. that's true. sometimes they are sometimes they aren't. but that is after judging a player on his play against college players, that's why it's tough to evaluate a player. here, the colts had a entire year of seeing him play against nfl players so this argument makes no sense at all. just another reach posters are using to justify the trade.

the people defending the trade are using a lot of what if's, and the people against the trade are using the hard facts of his nfl record.

.

"His record"?

I think since the advent of fantasy football the stat whores come out in full force like the "stats" are the end all be all. Well guess what? THEYRE NOT!!

[NewEra]

so you and everyone else that agrees with the trade would do the same thing? i highly doubt that.

I'm sure all those who defend our players. And see just more than the "stats" would gladly say he is a "incert word here".

What you're all missing is. We lost our 2 starting rb's. Who was going to carry the load? Brown? We traded our late round 1st pick for an immediate productive, move the chains rb. You can't just get elite backs for chump change. That team would rather just keep the rb. Also, I'm sorry that Pep isn't calling plays that give him bigger runs. Which, he has ripped off some decent ones. Against San Fran, is was both Bradshaw and Trent wearing them down. Now we just have Trent.

[House]

so you and everyone else that agrees with the trade would do the same thing? i highly doubt that.

People are criticizing and giving themselves the easy out by saying " I'll eat crow" when they know they never will.

I've been supportive of Trent, because you know if he succeeds it's good for the team, but I've never said I'll eat crow if I'm wrong.

If supporters of Richardson are wrong we all lose as Colts fans.

[Malakai432]

That wasn't with Grigs though... different talent evaluator, (Besides Bjoern who might be rolling in sacks once he comes back)

yes I hope so!!!! I want to see the Germinator get some sacks, good to have him back in the lineup, .

[NewEra]

yes I hope so!!!! I want to see the Germinator get some sacks, good to have him back in the lineup, .

All I here is him saying in an Arnold voice "I want to break you"

[TKnight24]

People are criticizing and giving themselves the easy out by saying " I'll eat crow" when they know they never will.

I've been supportive of Trent, because you know if he succeeds it's good for the team, but I've never said I'll eat crow if I'm wrong.

If supporters of Richardson are wrong we all lose as Colts fans.

Hey hey hey! That's not true, I admit when I'm wrong. Like with the DHB situation.

I said if he came in and had a good season & got re-signed this off-season, I'd make a status apologizing for bashing him from the moment we signed him. I'm sure most of you remember me not liking the trade

[Warhorse]

so you and everyone else that agrees with the trade would do the same thing? i highly doubt that.

Actually, I may jump on board after that player has been given a reasonable amount of time to prove their worth. I am referring to the posters who toss a player to the curb verbally and feel the need to constantly repeat themselves, driving home their point to ridiculous lengths before the player has even had a training camp for corns sake. I defended Anthony Gonzalez for quite a while, but I eventually joined in and agreed that he was not getting it done. But not until he had time to prove himself. Some players take a year or two to find the right groove/coach/scheme.

 

In a shortened example, it is not unlike a fan who posts in the game thread 15 times about how our offense sucks...and then we score 39 points to win the game. Then said fan posts one time....."I was wrong"....as if that somehow makes up for it. It doesn't.

[Warhorse]

Hey hey hey! That's not true, I admit when I'm wrong. Like with the DHB situation.

I said if he came in and had a good season & got re-signed this off-season, I'd make a status apologizing for bashing him from the moment we signed him. I'm sure most of you remember me not liking the trade

That's cool...and I know how you feel about the trade. But he is a Colt, you know? If a fan hammers him every time he is mentioned, it is like dissing your family.

[Buck Showalter]

Well I hope my Richardson Jersey doesn't spend eternity in my closet next to my Zbikowski jersey...

Dang...

That's all I am saying...