Is Trent Richardson delusional? Perhaps. Or maybe he’s just encouraged by all the money teams (cough, cough Eagles) are giving to free agent running backs this week. Either way, he’s not giving up the dream to which we can only say, good luck!
Rise & Grind: Trent Richardson says he’s the next Marshawn Lynch
Good luck with that!
Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports
The Colts finally dumped Richardson on Thursday. How Richardson got to Indianapolis and finally wound up being released is already the most remarkable thing about his career, a totem for poor drafting and bad trading.
Cleveland brought Richardson into the NFL in 2012. He was the third overall pick in the draft that year. He might be the last running back ever selected in the top five picks too. The Browns had the fourth pick, one spot behind the Vikings, but made the strange decision to swap places in the first round with Minnesota and send them their fourth-, fifth- and seventh-round picks as part of the deal.
That was the Mike Holmgren era Browns. You might have forgotten that since the Browns continue to be a beacon of dysfunction and constantly changing leadership. They also drafted Brandon Weeden that year. Go Browns!
Jimmy Haslam bought the Browns that fall and hired an all new management team who traded Richardson to the Colts in September of 2013 for a first-round pick. In 29 games with the Colts, and far too many chances to prove himself, Richardson ran for a grand total of 977 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 3.1 yards per carry.
But he’s not giving up the dream.
"I'll be one of the top running backs from here on out," he said, via ESPN Colts reporter Mike Wells. "They ruled Marshawn Lynch off in his third year. Look at what he's doing now. My next stop, I'll be the starter. I still have pride and I know who I am."
Good for him.
Lynch ran for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons in the league. Had a down year in 2009, and got swapped to Seattle in 2010. The main difference being that Lynch was hardly a bust on the field, despite not fitting in with the Bills.
Miami is collecting tight ends
The Miami Dolphins landed free agent Jordan Cameron on Thursday, the team announced. The move comes after reports from several sources, including Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, that the tight end would re-sign with the Browns. Instead, the Dolphins signed Cameron for two years, which was the same length of the failed deal the Browns were set to offer.
Even after signing Cameron, the Dolphins are still trying to work out a long-term deal with tight end Charles Clay to give them a strong one-two punch at the position. Clay returned to Miami after a three-day visit with the Buffalo Bills, who remain in the hunt to land him. But the Dolphins used their transition tag on Clay, meaning they'd be allowed to match any offer sheet from the Bills.
Guess which team is the Super Bowl favorite
The MGM Sportsbook in Las Vegas has tabbed the Indianapolis Colts as favorites to win the Super Bowl with 5-1 odds. The Seattle Seahawks (11-2), Green Bay Packers (11-2), New England Patriots (6-1) and Dallas Cowboys (8-1) make up the top five.
Indy has been busy this offseason, signing the likes of Gore and Andre Johnson at the skill positions to complement budding star T.Y. Hilton. On the other side of the ball, Trent Cole and Kendall Langford are additional veteran signees who should make an immediate impact.
Only hours into his time with the Eagles, DeMarco Murray claimed he already likes his new team's chances to win it all this season. "I think the Eagles have a great chance to win the Super Bowl," he said. The Eagles, who have also been busy during free agency, improved their Super Bowl odds from 20-1 to 16-1 after Murray's signing.
A Viking on the block?
The Minnesota Vikings are reportedly shopping Cordarrelle Patterson, while the Philadelphia Eagles could look to trade guard Evan Mathis. For Patterson, it's all but crystal clear that the Vikings are fed up with his inability to learn the offense. At age 23, the wide receiver could be valuable for another suitor.
Meanwhile in Philadelphia, Chip Kelly continues to perplex Eagles fans. Mathis is a highly regarded offensive lineman, but losing him would save the Eagles $6.5 million in cap space for 2015. For his part, Mathis is tired of hearing about trade rumors.
NFL taking a hard look at the Calvin Johnson rule
The NFL’s definition of a catch continues to come under scrutiny each season, and now it appears that the league is going to look at a possible change, according to Mark Maske of the Washington Post. The competition committee will not propose an alternative to the much-maligned rule, but instead it will aim to rework the language in an attempt to clarify the context. The committee also added that it would not make any proposals related to instant replay.
Expanded playoffs appear to be off the table as well for the 2015 season. But that discussion could still continue as it relates to 2016.
Further reading
- Rahim Moore has agreed to terms with the Houston Texans on a three-year, $12 million deal.
- The Buffalo Bills signed quarterback Tyrod Taylor, re-signed special teams ace Marcus Easley and re-upped with Jarius Wynn for two years.
- The Cardinals added former Colts Cory Redding and A.Q. Shipley.
- Chris Lewis-Harris will give the Cincinnati Bengals some more depth at cornerback after signing a one-year tender.
- Tanner Purdum re-signed with the Jets to remain their long snapper because someone's got to do it.
- The Browns signed quarterback Thad Lewis to a one-year deal.
- Danny Amendola will remain in New England after restructuring his contract.
- Former San Diego Chargers safety Marcus Gilchrist will reportedly sign with the Jets.
- Washington added another defensive lineman in Terrance Knighton.
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