NFL 2013

[K9]

The Browns don't need him now that their entire offense is based around Jordan Cameron 

[01101010]

Go Tribe... 

So Joe Thomas better get traded next, to Denver so he can at least get a ring before he retires. I feel bad for that guy the most.

[Hoax]

I don't get it, did they really only get a first rounder and that's it? How can that be the deal?

[Ingmar]

I don't get it, did they really only get a first rounder and that's it? How can that be the deal?

A first rounder for a running back with a career 3.5 yards per carry average and a history of injuries is a great return. They should never have picked him at #3 in the first place, and they're set up for a great draft in 2014.

[Bungee]

If nothing else, being a Steelers fan has the benefit of seeing both the Bengals and Browns trip over each other in trying to outsuck the other. The Bengals haven't moved for quite a while now though, so I guess something big is coming up there.

[ghost]

and they're set up for a great draft in 2014.

I'm sure it will work out great for them. 

[01101010]

I don't get it, did they really only get a first rounder and that's it? How can that be the deal?

A first rounder for a running back with a career 3.5 yards per carry average and a history of injuries is a great return. They should never have picked him at #3 in the first place, and they're set up for a great draft in 2014.

He has played a total of 17 games so his career stats are really lacking in datapoints to give an accurate assessment. In addition, he played those for the Browns whose offensive line consists of Joe Thomas and everyone else.

As for the injuries... they are a crap shoot. Frank Gore has been fantastic for the 49ers and his outlook out of college was horrible given the fact he is walking around on supposedly glass knees.

And even if Trent is only a middle of the road back, he still was the best production player on that Browns roster on the offensive side of the ball. It is looking like the organization is going to push the Browns' ineptitude to the extreme edge to see how much the fans can take, even more so than in the past. Chud just lost out on any and all goodwill the fans were going to give him for being a rookie coach, and it'll be a long road back from it.

Browns... the farm team for the NFL.

[Paelos]

It also depends on the first round pick. Indy has a playoff shot, their first rounder value might be very low.

Anyway, it's a white flag move. They are giving up two games into the season, and declaring themselves in the draft business. I'm not sure of the commissioner powers, but I would veto the trade because whoever plays the Browns from this point forward is getting free wins.

[Segoris]

The NFL proudly presents Jacksonville vs Cleveland in a death race to Los Angeles!   

[HaemishM]

From a Cleveland perspective, he was like.. the one guy on the team I was actually excited to watch play. If I had any faith whatsoever in our ability to draft I might not be down on this, but we're not gonna do anything with this pick we're getting. Guaranteed. Fuck, we'll have a new offense in a year or two anyway, if Richardson isn't a good fit or whatever just wait a little bit.

Sure, you'll do something with 2 first round picks. You'll draft a sure-to-bust first round QB to replace Weeden (who replaced the busted first round pick Colt McCoy after 2 years) and continue to suck.

I can't fathom a world where 2 games into the season, this was anything other than a "tank the season" move. Sure, they get an extra first rounder, but it really does just blow up their entire team. And now apparently Weeden is hurt and to replace him they have their third string guy starting instead of Jason Campbell.

A factory of sadness indeed.

EDIT: Also, Cleveland can't be in the race to Los Angeles. The NFL basically promised Cleveland a franchise when the Browns became the Ravens. It's too soon to let some jackass move them out now.

[Nebu]

Was this a salary move?  If I were the Cleveland owner, I'd look at my team, realize that I don't have a chance in hell at reaching the playoffs, and immediately get rid of anything I had with a salary.  It's like a new movie: Major League: the NFL.

[HaemishM]

Richardson was on the rookie scale. It can't have been that much money, probably less than they'd have to pay McGahee.

[Paelos]

Apparently they didn't even tell Richardson. He found out on the radio.

I mean FFS.

[Chimpy]

EDIT: Also, Cleveland can't be in the race to Los Angeles. The NFL basically promised Cleveland a franchise when the Browns became the Ravens. It's too soon to let some jackass move them out now.

I am pretty sure that the franchise agreement the owners of the Browns have with the NFL requires them to stay in Cleveland for a very long time.

[Nebu]

Richardson was on the rookie scale. It can't have been that much money, probably less than they'd have to pay McGahee.

   

Ok... I don't get it then.  Was he coming up for a contract renewal?  Do they know something that the league doesn't that might cause him to significantly lose value?  

Of course, it could just be that the Cleveland owners are morons.  

[Paelos]

They have no QB. In this league that means you have no hope. They are tanking for the Johnny Manziel / Teddy Bridgewater sweepstakes and grabbing an extra pick in the hopes they can get a line guy to block for him.

They don't need a RB. In the NFL today, almost nobody needs an RB unless you have a good QB already. AP is the best RB in the league, and that team can't win because their QB is garbage.

[Mithas]

I think Manziel has bust written all over him. But go ahead Cleveland, pick him up.

[ghost]

I think both of those guys have a shot to be very good-  Bridgewater moreso, because he doesn't appear to be an infantile jackass, but whatever.

[Nebu]

I think Manziel has bust written all over him. But go ahead Cleveland, pick him up.

I agree.  The guy is a talent to be sure, but I don't think he has the temperment or aptitude to play at the NFL level.

[ghost]

You have to look at a guy like Russel Wilson and think that it's possible for a quick guy that may be atypical to succeed in the league.  Manziel has a hell of an arm.  If he can just get his head screwed on straight and try to improve he could be good.

I think Bridgewater could be awesome. 

[Paelos]

I think his head is on just fine to play football. The media makes him into some sort of unholy demon, yet I'm pretty sure the kid hasn't had any problems with the law besides a fake ID charge.

The rest of it is just them clutching their pearls over how he wants to get paid. He would have left for the NFL last year, but it's not allowed, so what the hell do you expect?

[ghost]

Maybe it is, maybe it isn't.  He seems just like Vince Young to me (for off field antics), and we saw what happened there. 

[Nebu]

I think Manziel is another David Carr waiting to happen. Athletic guy that will get destroyed behind a terrible offensive line.

[HaemishM]

Ok... I don't get it then.  Was he coming up for a contract renewal?  Do they know something that the league doesn't that might cause him to significantly lose value?  

According to this article, this save them a total of $6.6 million.

The Browns will save $6.6 million by trading Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a first-round draft pick in 2014. Including his signing bonus, the Browns paid the running back -- taken third overall in 2012 -- $13.8 million for what amounted to 17 games.

So his contract was about $19-$20 million for a first round back - probably a 4-year contract. In other words, peanuts compared to veteran pay scale.

[ghost]

I think Manziel is another David Carr waiting to happen. Athletic guy that will get destroyed behind a terrible offensive line.

They aren't really that similar.  Carr rushed for a total of 125 yards in his entire career at Fresno. 

[01101010]

From a Cleveland perspective, he was like.. the one guy on the team I was actually excited to watch play. If I had any faith whatsoever in our ability to draft I might not be down on this, but we're not gonna do anything with this pick we're getting. Guaranteed. Fuck, we'll have a new offense in a year or two anyway, if Richardson isn't a good fit or whatever just wait a little bit.

Sure, you'll do something with 2 first round picks. You'll draft a sure-to-bust first round QB to replace Weeden (who replaced the busted first round pick Colt McCoy after 2 years) and continue to suck.

I can't fathom a world where 2 games into the season, this was anything other than a "tank the season" move. Sure, they get an extra first rounder, but it really does just blow up their entire team. And now apparently Weeden is hurt and to replace him they have their third string guy starting instead of Jason Campbell.

A factory of sadness indeed.

EDIT: Also, Cleveland can't be in the race to Los Angeles. The NFL basically promised Cleveland a franchise when the Browns became the Ravens. It's too soon to let some jackass move them out now.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/23717233/photo-browns-jersey-illustrates-clevelands-qb-problem-over-the-years

In fact, if you really want a laugh, look at every draft pick from the Browns since 1999. I think I can count 4 good picks over that time period... Alex Mack, Joe Thomas, D'Qwell Jackson, and Joe Haden... and maybe Phil Taylor. I get that every team has draft troubles because hey, it is a form of gambling. But no team has had this much draft failure in the league. Already shelved all my Browns gear and will probably wear out my LSU gear since it will be on double duty.

[Trippy]

A 1st round pick for Richardson seems ridiculously high to me. The Browns made out like bandits (draft prowess notwithstanding).

[Paelos]

It looks that way, but again I hate the idea of a team literally tanking the season in the second week. It's shit like this that got the NBA lottery put in place.

[Mithas]

I don't think it is high at all. Think about it this way, the Colts will probably draft in the first round middle to late next year. Is anyone available at that pick better than Trent Richardson? Probably not.

[ghost]

I can almost guarantee that in five years we are going to look at this deal and think that the Colts made out like bandits. 

[01101010]

It looks that way, but again I hate the idea of a team literally tanking the season in the second week. It's shit like this that got the NBA lottery put in place.

Agree wholeheartedly. It ruins the integrity of the game when a team deliberately attempts to win the draft pick by putting an inferior product on the field, intentionally. You should never play for a higher draft pick no matter how dire the season's outcome looks. Sorry, but I can't see any defense in this move even with another first round draft pick. History is what it is and it says the Browns cannot pick a first round player and NOT have them bust (save Thomas and Haden). So next year they go grab a 'franchise' quarterback with a first round pick they were going to have anyway. Teams will just defend against him since the Browns will have no one in the backfield to hand the ball off to and a shitty line blocking...again. In the mean time, the Colts have both a star QB and RB now. Fuck this team and fuck me for being born into the area that makes me a fan by birthright.  

[sickrubik]

As good as Richardson is, it's one player.

They'll be "okay" with McGahee and their others... Richardson wasn't going to get them to where they needed to be, so they saw the chance at getting a good value draft pick and are moving towards getting, probably, a new QB (again).

It's not like they are unloading their roster.

[Paelos]

It's not like they are unloading their roster.

Yet.

[ghost]

How would they unload their roster?  Is there anyone else worth having?

[01101010]

How would they unload their roster?  Is there anyone else worth having?

This, in a nut shell.

On offense, he was it. Weeden? No one saw that as a good pick in the first place and he has proven to be less than stellar even with Norv's offense that was suppose to suit him better. Browns have not had a named receiver since... um, Webster Slaughter? Our best offensive weapon is a lineman - so that should say something. They are selling the offensive farm for a lottery ticket.