Browns trade Trent Richardson to Colts

TheBrewMeister

The Cleveland Browns traded Trent Richardson to the Colts for a first round draft pick.

http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2013/09/18/browns-deal-trent-richardson-to-colts-for-2014-1st-round-draft-pick/

MyPeopleDrankTheSoup

good man, this deserves its own thread.

mind-blowing. all the jokes about the browns, but this is just shocking.

they're trading an unreal RB and their star player for what could be the 15th+ pick!

i'm very happy i have him in my fantasy though :-)

TheBrewMeister

Browns couldn't get any production out of him without a decent QB and WR threat. Defenses just stack the box on T. Rich.

Richardson spent most of his carries running east and west instead of north and south for lack of holes in the O-line.

He should be a serious running threat in Indy. If they try to stack the box on him there, Luck with just cut the top off the secondary.

I like the move from the Browns. They need to get serious if they want to build a winning team. The AFC North is aging and ripe for the taking. This was a serious move.

Don't forget, Richardson was Heckert's draftee. This is a whole new front office here.

davyjose

can't believe people are ridiculing the Browns over this one: they've given up a fair-to-middling RB for a first round pick. They're being realistic about being a rebuilding team. I think they deserve credit or this. They have a lot of room to manoeuvre in next years draft, and in all likelihood will trade that 1st round pick for a QB or a tackle.

Now look at the Colts. They've sold the farm to be a what... a 9-7, 10-6 team this season and then what? They have 4 RB's on the roster (the 3 B's and richardson) but have no pass-rush, no O-line, a below average D-line, and an Average MLB core. This was as plain as day to any Colts fan -- we NEED to build an O-line to protect Luck. The Colts recently are a perfect lesson in why you NEED a good O-line. Now we have an extra running back and no O-line. We fcuking needed that pick badly.

Meanwhile the Browns are in a position to truly grow. And yeah, they've sacrificed this season for it. A season in which they had no chance of success anyway.

baddebt

davyjose wrote: »

can't believe people are ridiculing the Browns over this one: they've given up a fair-to-middling RB for a first round pick. They're being realistic about being a rebuilding team. I think they deserve credit or this. They have a lot of room to manoeuvre in next years draft, and in all likelihood will trade that 1st round pick for a QB or a tackle.

Now look at the Colts. They've sold the farm to be a what... a 9-7, 10-6 team this season and then what? They have 4 RB's on the roster (the 3 B's and richardson) but have no pass-rush, no O-line, a below average D-line, and an Average MLB core. This was as plain as day to any Colts fan -- we NEED to build an O-line to protect Luck. The Colts recently are a perfect lesson in why you NEED a good O-line. Now we have an extra running back and no O-line. We fcuking needed that pick badly.

Meanwhile the Browns are in a position to truly grow. And yeah, they've sacrificed this season for it. A season in which they had no chance of success anyway.

Sorry , but people are right to ridicule the Browns , they are giving up this season already (AFTER JUST 2 GAMES ) , WTF (the mind boggles )
great Aq from the Colts point of view

the browns won't grow , they have been in a similar position for years , and have gone nowhere

Chucky the tree

Giving up the season? People make it sound as if their 3.5 yards per carry running back was going to carry them to the play-offs.

randomCluster

Poor trade by the Browns. A joke of a team at present it has to be said. Rebuilding for 2014? It wasn't as if they were going to have a winning season anyway. A RB who could run, block, and catch. He's only 23 as well so plenty of miles left in the tank. They could've at least got a better deal for him. For the Colts he's a big upgrade from their existing rbs. If you're a browns fan and you think this is a good deal, good luck.

kennyb3

davyjose wrote: »

Now look at the Colts. They've sold the farm to be a what... a 9-7, 10-6 team this season and then what? They have 4 RB's on the roster (the 3 B's and richardson) but have no pass-rush, no O-line, a below average D-line, and an Average MLB core. This was as plain as day to any Colts fan -- we NEED to build an O-line to protect Luck. The Colts recently are a perfect lesson in why you NEED a good O-line. Now we have an extra running back and no O-line. We fcuking needed that pick badly.

Giving up a middle to later round first pick isn't selling the farm.

Looking at a different way - you now have a QB & RB for the next 5-8 years to build an Oline and defense around.

You don't necessarily need first round picks to do that.

I'm sure they let Bradshaw hit free agency in the offseason and hope Ballard can be the no.2 back.

Late first round picks are often overvalued. It's a great value trade imho (for the colts obviously)

D3PO

I agree with Davyjose. This is a good move by the Browns and although it may turn out to be a good move also by the Colts in time. RB wasn't their most pressing need if they were going to trade away a first round pick.

Makes it difficult to add the pieces they need next season outside of free agency. To get a top quality O Lineman at the back end of the second round or later doesn't happen often. After which they will still need to look at their LB core and D Line aswell.

Short term it doesn't give them a monster boost, although for one first round pick its not a bad deal. The browns really should have pushed for at least a first in 2014 and a second in 2015 and I think they could have got it if they played hard ball.

HigginsJ

D3PO wrote: »

The browns really should have pushed for at least a first in 2014 and a second in 2015 and I think they could have got it if they played hard ball.

I think this is the biggest issue with the trade for me. Whatever way you cut it they are trading a number 3 selection for what will most probably be a pick in the teens somewhere.

Had they been able to secure a few extra picks then maybe I could understand it but without that it just feels stupid. There was no great need on there behalf to trade Richardson. They held all the cards in the negotiations & failed imo

Silver-Tiger

Bridgewater may not come out and Mariota certainly wont.
This could turn out awful. Lombardi drafted Jamarcus Russell Ffs

Hard as a Browns fan to put a good perspective on it. Despite what the media say. We've been "rebuilding" for a long long time.

mikemac1

Silver-Tiger wrote: »

Lombardi drafted Jamarcus Russell Ffs

He was at the Raiders at the time but he had no say in that draft. It was already decided that he was leaving so he was shut out for the draft and for the months before the draft.

Gardening leave

Silver-Tiger

mikemac1 wrote: »

He was at the Raiders at the time but he had no say in that draft. It was already decided that he was leaving so he was shut out for the draft and for the months before the draft.

Gardening leave

Thanks.

What legacy did he leave at the Raiders? (in terms of who he drafted)

davyjose

baddebt wrote: »

Sorry , but people are right to ridicule the Browns , they are giving up this season already (AFTER JUST 2 GAMES ) , WTF (the mind boggles )
great Aq from the Colts point of view

the browns won't grow , they have been in a similar position for years , and have gone nowhere

Theyve a new GM and a new HC and are looking at a top 5 draft pick next year.
Those guys don't feel Weeden and Richardson are the guys to take them forward.
Whatever about Weeden (he's rubbish IMO) but they clearly feel a firat round pick in the high teens/low twenties is more valuable.
I agree.

Its a win now league and they're being destryed in the media right now, but I think they're doing what most basement teams should -- looking to the future.

Chucky the tree

Silver-Tiger wrote: »

Thanks.

What legacy did he leave at the Raiders? (in terms of who he drafted)

Hard to know what legacy he left. The players drafted while he was here weren't great but it's difficult to know how much say he had.

davyjose

Silver-Tiger wrote: »

Bridgewater may not come out and Mariota certainly wont.
This could turn out awful. Lombardi drafted Jamarcus Russell Ffs

.

I'm thinking they might use the Colts pick for a QB trade. Kirk Cousins anyone?

As for JMR, that was 1000% Al Davis' pick.

taidghbaby

davyjose wrote: »

Theyve a new GM and a new HC and are looking at a top 5 draft pick next year.
Those guys don't feel Weeden and Richardson are the guys to take them forward.
Whatever about Weeden (he's rubbish IMO) but they clearly feel a firat round pick in the high teens/low twenties is more valuable.
I agree.

Its a win now league and they're being destryed in the media right now, but I think they're doing what most basement teams should -- looking to the future.

Like what we did?? Suck for Luck

frostie500

The big thing about the Browns trading Richardson for me isn't that they've realised that they have lots of work to do to rebuild...its realising that they made the wrong pick at number 3 last year. That's whats shocking about this trade, they have written off a top pick in last years draft after a year for a mid round pick next year. I know there's a new front office in charge but they are going to trade away Richardson and presumably Weeden after the season

Son Of A Vidic

davyjose wrote: »

can't believe people are ridiculing the Browns over this one: they've given up a fair-to-middling RB for a first round pick. They're being realistic about being a rebuilding team. I think they deserve credit or this. They have a lot of room to manoeuvre in next years draft, and in all likelihood will trade that 1st round pick for a QB or a tackle.

Spot on Davy, I can't see what all the drama is about. It was a damn fine piece of business by the Browns. Especially for a player who's not worth a first round pick. They have more pressing concerns to cover in next years draft and this move sets them up to address them.

Chucky the tree

frostie500 wrote: »

The big thing about the Browns trading Richardson for me isn't that they've realised that they have lots of work to do to rebuild...its realising that they made the wrong pick at number 3 last year. That's whats shocking about this trade, they have written off a top pick in last years draft after a year for a mid round pick next year. I know there's a new front office in charge but they are going to trade away Richardson and presumably Weeden after the season

As you said, it's a new front office. Hardly that surprising that someone thinks someone else made a poor draft choice.

frostie500

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Hard to know what legacy he left. The players drafted while he was here weren't great but it's difficult to know how much say he had.

The only legacy left from the Raiders front office was Al Davis so a lot of good people surely had their names tarnished by some of Als later decisions but in relation to JaMarcus the league knew his potential for problems but he was always going to go early in the draft "You can't look past his size and arm" was in a lot of news reports and other sites and those kinds of comments are fed by front offices around the league. I wouldn't hang JaMarcus on anyone at the Raiders, just like I wouldnt hang Ryan Leaf on the Chargers or numerous other busts. Sometimes guys just cant deal with getting huge cash even though they did enough in college to show their talent onthe field

Leslie91

Norv the modern day RB killer strikes again.......

Browns need a new OC and new QB and they'll be grand. RBs should not be drafted as highly as he was period. They are a dime a dozen.

youngco87

I like what the Colts are building and yes its an exspensive pickup but I think Richardson will sign will Luck. Teams will have to account for the passing attack of the Colts and wont be able to stack the box.

In the long run it was probably a good move for the browns but when you think of what they gave up last year to move up and get Richardson (1st, 4th, 6th and 7th?) you would have thought they might have looked to recoup some of those picks. I think its a possibility that the Browns look to get some work done before the draft next year and bring in either Mallet or Cousins with the Colts pick and then maybe go for an elite WR with their own pick!

eagle eye

This trade is being made out to be a lot bigger than it is. Colts now have two talented but injury prone RBs in Bradshaw and Richardson. Browns have an extra first round pick for next year.

I can see why the Colts wanted a starting RB and I can see why the Browns were willing to give him up for a first round pick. I think the Colts may have overpaid in this one but its not a bad move for them either. If they can keep both Richardson and Bradshaw fit then they have a really good chance to win their division.

D3PO

eagle eye wrote: »

. If they can keep both Richardson and Bradshaw fit then they have a really good chance to win their division.

I cant see it. Houston still have better RB's in Foster & Tate and a far superior O Line and Defense than the Colts.

They will be a wildcard team again this season and will have to be very clever about what moves they make next offseason and draft to tip the balance of that division back in their favour.

Lot of talk about the Browns taking Cousins perhaps. To me no way. They need to go with Bridgewater or Boyd depending on where they are in the draft.

They can then use the other first rounder to hopefully pickup a quality lineman to go oppose Joe Thomas. The way drafts are going not many RB's are going in the first round anymore so they could pick up a top 4 starting RB at the top of the second who would you would guess be as productive as Richardson if not more productive. 3.5 yard per carry is not a good return for a #3 overall pick.

And it doesn't matter that the Browns suck. Jamal Charles still shone on a crappy Chiefs team, if your good enough you will find a way to look better than average. (That said Richardson should increase his production with Luck being his QB)

That could leave the Browns in a solid position offensively and with multiple picks in the 3rd and 4th rounds they could then look at hoping to unearth something on defense.

A potential browns offense of Bridgewater/Boyd at QB perhaps drafting somebody like Zack Martin late in the first so as to have Martin and Thomas as your two tackles.

Drafting perhaps D'Anthony Thomas or Kadeem Carey at the top of the second as your RB

Added to Jordan Cameron who is a top end TE and serviceable WR's in Gordon and the guy they got this summer off Miami whos name escapes me right now would give them a pretty good base to work off.

They wont be worldbeaters anytime soon but one or two big pickups in FA or with those 4 picks in round 3-4 could make them very competitive in their division.

TheBrewMeister

D3PO wrote: »

Added to Jordan Cameron who is a top end TE and serviceable WR's in Gordon and the guy they got this summer off Miami whos name escapes me right now would give them a pretty good base to work off.

Davone Bess

TO.

I like the Trade for both teams. Browns get to move and build how they see their future team and the Colts although missing a few pieces get a good quality running back. Granted he has injury issues but he has got ability. I actually do see him fitting into the Colts Offense better than he does with the Browns anyways.

TheBrewMeister

Now to trade Brandon Weeden and that first round pick for a QB....

Hazys

Weeden was a ridiculous pick, why pick a guy in the draft who could possibly retire two years later

TheBrewMeister

Hazys wrote: »

Weeden was a ridiculous pick, why pick a guy in the draft who could possibly retire two years later

in the first round no less

Syferus

Joke move by the Browns. Watch them load up for a QB and him turn out to be a bust.

Indy got an absolute steal. Top five talent and a very young player for what'll amount to a sub-20 first rounder.

Irsay for all his bloviating has allowed the Colts to run a very tight ship for years now. A Jerry Jones that actually wins games.

mikemac1

Cleveland may use their 2nd rounder on a new right guard

Oneil Cousins is the worst starting guard in the league!

davyjose

Syferus wrote: »

Irsay for all his bloviating has allowed the Colts to run a very tight ship for years now. A Jerry Jones that actually wins games.

Don't even... :pac:

Irsay, to his credit, is a far better owner than his eccentricity would suggest. The guy bleeds blue, knows how to properly defer to a GM, but is smart enough to get the right front office in place every time. He's one of the leagues best owners IMO.

taidghbaby

davyjose wrote: »

Don't even... :pac:

Irsay, to his credit, is a far better owner than his eccentricity would suggest. The guy bleeds blue, knows how to properly defer to a GM, but is smart enough to get the right front office in place every time. He's one of the leagues best owners IMO.

Yeah Irsay may talk a lot in the media and on twitter, and may be a little eccentric, but from what I've seen he doesn't interfere with the team itself at all!

Paully D

I've mostly seen people say this is a good move for the Colts and a bad move for the Browns, or say it's a good move for the Browns and bad move for the Colts.

I think the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

Richardson will be far more effective in Indy than he was in Cleveland and I think we will eventually get to see just what everyone thought he was going to produce when he plays with a team who has to plan to stop the quarterback too.

On the other side of things, the Browns could really do with the extra first rounder to rebuild and unless you're once in a decade talent like an Adrian Peterson or Barry Sanders, running backs are generally always dispensable and replaceable and not someone you can build your franchise around. Look at where some of the really talented running backs have gone in the draft in recent years and it's clear there's always value in the lower rounds.

That said, it's all well and good having a plan on paper but if there's one team who can make a complete bollocks out of this, it would be the Browns :pac:

HigginsJ

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000247171/article/trent-richardson-to-cleveland-browns-fans-have-faith

Richardson's comments to Browns fans are pretty classy

spiralism

I just can't get my head around the fact that they traded up to #3 to get him and then traded him for a probable mid round pick the following year. Indy now has the #1 and #3 pick from that draft. I kinda get the logic in terms of just blowing it up and starting from the bottom up next year (this happens every two years at most with the Browns) but this is Cleveland so id say it's about 5 times as likely that he ends up the next AP than this panning out well for them.

TheBrewMeister

spiralism wrote: »

I just can't get my head around the fact that they traded up to #3 to get him and then traded him for a probable mid round pick the following year. Indy now has the #1 and #3 pick from that draft. I kinda get the logic in terms of just blowing it up and starting from the bottom up next year (this happens every two years at most with the Browns) but this is Cleveland so id say it's about 5 times as likely that he ends up the next AP than this panning out well for them.

"They" are gone. The people who traded up to #3 to get him are long gone. This is a whole new Front Office.... New owner, new gm, new president, new everyone.

The people who made this trade were not the people who traded up last year to get him.

LuckyLloyd

Ist round pick >> RB

Running Back isn't that important a position relatively speaking. Stuff like Fantasy Football skews the average fan's perception in that regard. The thing the Browns should be ridiculed for is drafting Richardson where they did. They've actually unwound their mistake.

eagle eye

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Ist round pick >> RB

Running Back isn't that important a position relatively speaking.
Stuff like Fantasy Football skews the average fan's perception in that regard.

:rolleyes:

Ever hear of Adrian Peterson? Ray Rice?

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

The thing the Browns should be ridiculed for is drafting Richardson where they did. They've actually unwound their mistake.

Richardson in the eyes of the majority was the next great RB. To be fair he looked pretty awesome on all fronts in college. He was going in the top five in that draft no matter what. He was the best looking back since Run DMC and AP before that. Those guys also went top five, that level of RB is always going at the top of the draft. Its got nothing to do with fantasy football.

LuckyLloyd

eagle eye wrote: »

:rolleyes:

Ever hear of Adrian Peterson? Ray Rice?

Richardson in the eyes of the majority was the next great RB. To be fair he looked pretty awesome on all fronts in college. He was going in the top five in that draft no matter what. He was the best looking back since Run DMC and AP before that. Those guys also went top five, that level of RB is always going at the top of the draft. Its got nothing to do with fantasy football.

Cedric Benson
Carnell Williams
Darren McFadden

How many great Running Backs have the Patriots had during the BB era? When Green Bay won the championship, who did the work?

The issues that you wouldn't be able to process are:

- Opportunity cost: a great RB is awesome, but that high pick could get you a stud Lineman; a lockdown corner; etc;
- If your line and QB suck, your RB is automatically limited in what they can achieve;
- ADP, all conquering no.1 RB last season drafted 7th overall;
- Alfred Morris, no.2 in rushing yardage last season drafted 173rd overall;

Basically, a blanket draft rule of 'no running backs to be drafted in the first three rounds' would serve a franchise just fine.

davyjose

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Ist round pick >> RB

Running Back isn't that important a position relatively speaking. Stuff like Fantasy Football skews the average fan's perception in that regard. The thing the Browns should be ridiculed for is drafting Richardson where they did. They've actually unwound their mistake.

If we were stacked on D and our O-line was complete then for the type of power running game we want to employ it would be worth a first rounder. Maybe.
But I agree we needed that pock for an elite lineman.

Jolly Red Giant

Browns have signed Willis McGahee as his replacement.

Chucky the tree

eagle eye wrote: »

Richardson in the eyes of the majority was the next great RB. To be fair he looked pretty awesome on all fronts in college. He was going in the top five in that draft no matter what. He was the best looking back since Run DMC and AP before that. Those guys also went top five, that level of RB is always going at the top of the draft. Its got nothing to do with fantasy football.

Only one of those guy have been worth a top 5 pick, hell only on has been worth a first round pick. I think teams will stick pick running backs high, but that's mainly down to the fact that their will still be teams who have terrible GM's.

eagle eye

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

How many great Running Backs have the Patriots had during the BB era? When Green Bay won the championship, who did the work?

Corey Dillon. Antwaine Smith did alright for us too.

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

The issues that you wouldn't be able to process are:
Cedric Benson
Carnell Williams
Darren McFadden

- Opportunity cost: a great RB is awesome, but that high pick could get you a stud Lineman; a lockdown corner; etc;
- If your line and QB suck, your RB is automatically limited in what they can achieve;
- ADP, all conquering no.1 RB last season drafted 7th overall;
- Alfred Morris, no.2 in rushing yardage last season drafted 173rd overall;

Basically, a blanket draft rule of 'no running backs to be drafted in the first three rounds' would serve a franchise just fine.

I just stuck in all this together because its so stupid. Its the same thing no matter what position you draft.

Remeber Jason Smith? Andre Smith? Mike Williams? All supposed franchise OTs.

The undrafted Tyson Clabo and Jason Peters who are among the top tackles in the league. Sebastien Vollmer and David Stewart were two late round picks.

Rolando McClain is another bust while Wesley Woodyard went undrafted.

Basically your argument is based around a couple of busts but we all know that happens no matter what the position. If you find a guy who you think is going to be Barry Sanders 2.0 you are going to draft him as early as you can just the same as if you think the player is going to be Lawrence Taylor 2.0 or Dion Sanders or whoever.

For me he key is that he's so young it's that same as them drafting a new player anyway and I think there getting value provided hes past his injures he will get some space in the colts team so well see he was in a hopeless situation in Cleveland

Personally I think the colts make the playoffs so with a draft pick that late they probably won't get a player with that kind of potential

LuckyLloyd

eagle eye wrote: »

Corey Dillon. Antwaine Smith did alright for us too.

I just stuck in all this together because its so stupid. Its the same thing no matter what position you draft.

Remeber Jason Smith? Andre Smith? Mike Williams? All supposed franchise OTs.

The undrafted Tyson Clabo and Jason Peters who are among the top tackles in the league. Sebastien Vollmer and David Stewart were two late round picks.

Rolando McClain is another bust while Wesley Woodyard went undrafted.

Basically your argument is based around a couple of busts but we all know that happens no matter what the position. If you find a guy who you think is going to be Barry Sanders 2.0 you are going to draft him as early as you can just the same as if you think the player is going to be Lawrence Taylor 2.0 or Dion Sanders or whoever.

No my argument is based around relative value and talent scarcity in the position. I accept that it's hard for you to understand, but spending money on a highly drafted running back or signing a running back with ~3 years experience to a huge deal is a really inefficient use of limited player acquirement resources. Get the other stuff right and it really isn't hard to find a couple of lads who can run into holes for 4ypc+ and ~1200 yards which is all you need to balance things out.

LuckyLloyd

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

No my argument is based around relative value and talent scarcity in the position. I accept that it's hard for you to understand, but spending money on a highly drafted running back or signing a running back with ~3 years experience to a huge deal is a really inefficient use of limited player acquirement resources. Get the other stuff right and it really isn't hard to find a couple of lads who can run into holes for 4ypc+ and ~1200 yards which is all you need to balance things out.

i agree generally but they have the qb thats the biggest need put a rb with Richardson's potential in there and you never know whats going to happen this could end up as a bad decision for the colts but if it works out you could have a qb-rb combo to rival peyton manning- edgerin james or troy aikman- emmet smith or terry bradshaw franko harris

LuckyLloyd

Zahir Delicious Historian wrote: »

i agree generally but they have the qb thats the biggest need put a rb with Richardson's potential in there and you never know whats going to happen this could end up as a bad decision for the colts but if it works out you could have a qb-rb combo to rival peyton manning- edgerin james or troy aikman- emmet smith or terry bradshaw franko harris

That's fine, but after 298 NFL carries for 1,055 yards is he still worth a first round pick? Is he still this huge talent? Certainly hasn't looked like it thus far.

People underestimate the value of low first round draft picks tbh.

LuckyLloyd

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

That's fine, but after 298 NFL carries for 1,055 yards is he still worth a first round pick? Is he still this huge talent? Certainly hasn't looked like it thus far.

People underestimate the value of low first round draft picks tbh.

i wouldnt worry about his production so far to much my biggest issue is the volume of carries he has in the nfl on top of the huge amount he had in alabama

taidghbaby

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

That's fine, but after 298 NFL carries for 1,055 yards is he still worth a first round pick? Is he still this huge talent? Certainly hasn't looked like it thus far.

People underestimate the value of low first round draft picks tbh.

Easy thing is to look at the players who drafted after the Colts picked this year (if you assume the Colts pick around the same place)! Out of those I'd maybe take Hopkins over Richardson!

IMO 1st round picks aren't as important when your QB is on his rookie deal! Next year and the year after the Colts will have plenty of cap space to bring in veterans I'm areas of need!