Even after trading 2012 third overall draft pick Trent Richardson to the Colts, Browns president Joe Banner and head coach Rob Chudzinski told the media Wednesday they are "confident" in the players they have and that they are still planning to win this season.
Trent Richardson trade came down to value, says Browns’ GM
The Browns feel that the value outweighed the talent in their surprise trade with the Colts.
For Banner, a seasoned NFL front office executive, the deal was too good to pass up. “The value that we were getting back in terms of what we are trying to do going forward made this a thing that we wanted to do,” said Banner. “We have to earn [the fans’] belief and trust in the decisions we’re going to make.”
Chudzinski feels like the deal will not hinder the Browns this season. “That’s football, you deal with those things, whether they’re injuries, or a trade in this case, and you work your way through the season,” said the first-year head coach. “We are going to play every week to win every week.”
Banner said during the press conference that the team will look to replace Richardson with short-term solutions. Cleveland is expected to sign running back Willis McGahee, pending a physical. He would join a group that features just Bobby Rainey and Chris Ogbonnaya.
While the team is missing out on a star running back, it believes the draft is where the Browns can restock on talent. Banner said his goal in the draft is to have a “higher batting average” than other teams and he is excited about the first-round pick that was acquired in the trade.
The Browns travel to Minnesota in Week 3 to face the Vikings on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
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