Colts owner Jim Irsay took to Twitter on Wednesday to brashly foreshadow a trade. He then delivered when Indianapolis traded for running back Trent Richardson. The move takes pressure off Andrew Luck and makes the Colts more dynamic on offense, but there were questions about whether Richardson would be able to play this week. On Thursday we got an answer, as it was made official that he will play against the San Francisco 49ers this week.
NFL news roundup: Dominoes fall in wake of Trent Richardson trade
Wednesday’s blockbuster trade echoed through the news on Thursday as the Colts and Browns retooled their teams.
Jamie Sabau
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Richardson is immediately the best back on the Colts’ roster and better than anyone they have had in the last few years. He finished his rookie season with 950 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on a team that didn’t have many offensive weapons. It will be fascinating to see how he manages in an offense where he doesn’t need to be the focal point.
Trading Trent Richardson was for the future, but the Browns still needed a running back right now. They elected to sign Willis McGahee and he is expected to play this weekend against the Minnesota Vikings.
McGahee was cut this offseason by the Denver Broncos after rushing for 731 yards in 10 games last season. This is the fourth team for the 31-year-old back, who began his career in Buffalo as a starter before becoming a rotational rusher in Baltimore and Denver.
It’s interesting to note than in 10 years and four teams, McGahee has never played in the NFC.
The NFL has been committed to player safety, but the league's desire to protect players has been focused on the shoulders up. A report Thursday indicates that the competition committee has no desire to limit low blocks, despite a spate of injuries this season -- most recently a broken ankle sustained by 49ers nose tackle Ian Williams.
Committee vice president Rich McKay acknowledged that they would continue to look at low blocks, but that no changes are planned at this time.
A player being activated from the practice squad isn't a big deal, but it's interesting when it's Da'Rick Rogers and fascinating when he gets to catch passes from Andrew Luck.
The 6’2 wide receiver has all the physical tools to be an NFL receiver, but his questionable off-field issues kept him relegated to practice squads. Rogers was undrafted in 2013 following a season at Tennessee Tech that came about after being suspended by the University of Tennessee for three failed drug tests.
Rogers was signed by the Buffalo Bills, but released prior to the season. Sunday could be the first time he will have the chance to catch a pass in a regular season game.
It's been a rough week for the Denver Broncos. The team was left reeling following news that left tackle Ryan Clady would miss the remainder of the season. Some good news could be on the horizon for Denver, however, as cornerback Champ Bailey was able to practice in full pads Thursday.
Bailey returns to the Broncos (2-0) after missing the first two games of the regular season. The 35-year-old cornerback is getting long in the tooth, but continues to be an effective playmaker after registering 66 tackles and two interceptions in 2012, his 14th season in the league.
More from SB Nation NFL:
See More:
