The Oakland Raiders decided to make a surprising move Tuesday morning, signing running back Trent Richardson. The team announced the news Tuesday morning. The deal is worth $3.9 million over two years, and up to $8 million if Richardson hits incentives, according to NFL.com.
The Raiders signed Trent Richardson
Despite having a brutal beginning to his career, Oakland is rolling the dice on Richardson. The “commitment to excellence” continues!
Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports
Oakland finished dead last in rushing yards per game last year, and the front office apparently believes Richardson can help fix that as a sidekick to Latavius Murray.
Richardson, the former third-overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft of the Cleveland Browns, has averaged 3.3 yards per carry throughout his three-year career. No qualifying back has a worse average over that stretch. He played in 17 games with the Browns before being dealt in Week 3 of the 2013 season to the Indianapolis Colts for a first-round pick. In Indianapolis, Richardson played in 29 regular season games and gained 977 yards with six touchdowns and four fumbles.
In the playoffs, Richardson was made inactive for the Divisional round against the Denver Broncos and then suspended by the Colts for detrimental conduct. It was later reported, however, that Richardson was taking his pregnant girlfriend to the hospital because of a medical emergency.
It is tough to see the logic here for Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie.
McKenzie, who has compiled an 11-37 mark in his three years with the Raiders, has made a series of questionable decisions in free agency throughout his tenure. Last year, Oakland signed Matt Schaub, Maurice Jones-Drew, Tarell Brown, Carlos Rogers, LaMarr Woodley and Justin Tuck.
Today, only Tuck remains on the roster. The rest were either horrific or benched, proving to be one of the worst free-agent classes of all-time. McKenzie attempted to sign players who still have value this year, telling the media that the team was targeting players still "in their prime." This year, McKenzie's work in free agency looked a little better, on the surface at least.
The team acquired former Kansas City Chiefs center Rodney Hudson on a five-year, $44.5 million deal, making him the highest-paid center in football. Oakland also brought in nose tackle Dan Williams and middle linebacker Curtis Lofton to fortify the defense. Richardson's "prime" apparently came while he was still at Alabama.
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