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Trent Richardson

Trent Richardson On Raiders’ Roster Bubble

August 2nd, 2015 at 7:43pm CST by Rob DiRe

Trent Richardson was once one of the most polarizing players in the league, with many people writing the former third-overall pick off completely with a few thinking he could still rejuvenate his career in Indianapolis.

After signing a two-year deal with the Raiders that included $600,000 in guaranteed money, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com puts Richardson’s chances of making the roster at 50% (via Twitter).

After three years in the league, those who believe he can still turn his NFL career around are far and few between, and Oakland hasn’t exactly been a great spot for reclamation projects in recent years. Still, getting some guaranteed money after an extremely disappointing run with the Colts showed a vote of confidence for Richardson.

Now, as he remains on the non-football injury list, the Raiders backfield is beginning to look crowded with productive players. Latavius Murray, Roy Helu, and Michael Dyer have all made their marks early in training camp as they look to earn a spot on the roster. Teams normally carry only three running backs, and that could leave Richardson as the odd man out.

“The reality is he has some very real competition, thanks to some newfound depth on this roster,” Rapoport said. “He needs to do exactly what they ask on the field and off the field just to make this roster. … It’s possible at this point that Trent Richardson is the odd man out.”

Murray in particular has been impressive, and Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that he is not only the frontrunner to be the number one running back, but looks like he could be a really good number one back (via Twitter).

AFC Notes: Mariota, Chargers, Raiders, Jags

July 18th, 2015 at 5:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

The odd standoff between the Titans and Marcus Mariota over offset language doesn’t look to be going over well for the franchise that’s been frequently thorough in negotiating with its top rookies and consistently forgotten for its recent play. A 2-14 team digging in over a matter that probably won’t come up with the face of a franchise devoid of many recognizable faces isn’t the best look, writes Geoffrey C. Arnold of the Oregonian.

Arnold notes the contracts of Dante Fowler Jr. and Todd Gurley, two injured top-10 picks, do not include offset language, which would save the drafting — and in this instance, cutting — franchise money in the event it has to prematurely separate from a player. And Arnold predicts a deal next week is unlikely, considering the Titans’ late official additions of Taylor Lewan, Chance Warmack and Kendall Wright, the first-round picks in the 2014, ’13 and ’12 drafts, respectively.

With Titans fans likely not losing much sleep over this minor point in Mariota’s contract, it’s not a good start to the relationship. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe went as far as saying this is a “terrible” beginning to the Titans-Mariota marriage, with an aura of distrust already swirling. Should Mariota be a bust, the Titans will have bigger problems than a few million dollars being lost, writes Volin, in the event they cave on offsets. If this indeed occurs, there will probably be new management overseeing the next quarterback’s contract negotiation.

Let’s look at some of the notes emerging from AFC cities on Saturday as training camps are less than two weeks away from beginning.

  • In light of St. Louis’ recent adjustment to its plan to keep the NFL in the city, San Diego is making a similar move. But like the Rams, the Chargers aren’t exactly that interested, writes Jonathan Horn of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The team broke off discussions with the city last month despite a stadium location being determined, and a Chargers spokesperson doesn’t see much progress in the near future. “I think the chances of getting anything done in San Diego in 2015 or even in the first part of 2016 are over for sure, but that doesn’t mean this process is over,” Chargers spokesperson Mark Fabiani told Horn.
  • Reportedly fined for his weight hovering above 230 last season, Trent Richardson is down to 225 now and hopes to play this season at around 222, reports Bill Vilona of the Pensacola News Journal. The former No. 3 overall pick is aiming to counter a steep fall from grace that now has him in a battle with Latavius Murray and Roy Helu for a Raiders starting gig that’s been anonymous for most of this century.
  • With Ace Sanders waived, the Jaguars will employ a new punt returner. Among the candidates, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, are fifth-round pick Rashad Greene, former Seahawk Bryan Walters and Tandon Doss, who was slated to replace Sanders during the wideout’s suspension last year before he suffered a season-ending ankle injury.

AFC West Notes: Richardson, Thomas, San Diego

July 5th, 2015 at 3:34pm CST by Rob DiRe

New Raiders offensive line coach Mike Tice is very optimistic about the running game in 2015, and had nice things to say about all three of his top running backs, including the much-maligned Trent Richardson on his third NFL stop, according to Raiders.com. Latavius Murray and Richardson are pencilled in for large roles in the offense.

“Each one has their own style. I like the Murray kid. He really came on in that veteran mini-camp. He got his legs under him and showed some quickness, some good finish,” said Tice on SiruisXM NFL Radio. “I thought the young man out of Alabama came on. He lost some weight, his quickness came around.”

In addition to Murray and Richardson, Tice also had a glowing review of Roy Helu Jr..

“And then the young man we picked up out of Washington, a local boy out of San Ramon, I think he had an outstanding offseason and he shows good quickness, good awareness,” said Tice. “I think the nice thing about the kid out of Washington…is that he has nice hands out of the backfield – he can catch the football.”

Here are some more stories from around the AFC West:

  • The Raiders are finally giving focus to developing their young defensive backs, writes Steve Corkan of RaidersBeat.com (via Facebook). The team is no longer trying to find short-term solutions in modestly-priced veterans, and is prepared to hand the backend of the defense to D.J. Hayden, T.J. Carrie, and Keith McGill.
  • The Broncos and Demaryius Thomas are still far apart on a long-term contract, and Troy Renck of the Denver Post is having trouble seeing how the two sides come together on an agreement. He writes that $40MM guaranteed is the low number on what Thomas needs based on his value, but he writes the Broncos can’t meet that number, and might be better off leasing him with the franchise tag this season and again next season before moving on to a run-first offense with a strong defense under head coach Gary Kubiak.
  • While fans and pundits are waiting for an announcement on which teams will be torn away from their current cities to move to Los Angeles, Dan McSwain of the U-T San Diego writes that the city of San Diego might be better if the Chargers leave. He writes that the public funding for a new stadium would hurt the local economy, and the people of San Diego would be fortunate if the team left for L.A. instead of putting that burden on them.

AFC Mailbags: McGloin, Richardson, Bengals, Jets

June 27th, 2015 at 9:45am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday morning, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s start the day with some notes from the AFC…

  • Considering the presence of Derek Carr and Christian Ponder, Bill Williamson believes the Raiders could shop quarterback Matt McGloin. If he ends up having a good preseason, another team could look to acquire the 25-year-old.
  • Regardless of the play of Raiders running back Latavius Murray, Williamson believes Trent Richardson will make the team’s opening day roster.
  • Coley Harvey would prefer to “wait and see” how the Bengals receivers perform before declaring that they need more depth at the position.
  • Rich Cimini guesses that four running backs will make the Jets roster, an indication that Zac Stacy will be safe. As the writer points out, the team surrendered a draft pick for Stacy, so the organization will try to make it work.
  • If Henry Anderson ends up starting on the defensive line for the Colts, Mike Wells says we can point to Kendall Langford‘s contract as a mistake.

AFC Notes: Jets, Colts, Richardson, Rivers, Charles

April 19th, 2015 at 7:53pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Jets have question marks surrounding their first-round selection in the upcoming NFL Draft, with a number of players making sense for the team. Geno Smith is a question mark at best, therefore Marcus Mariota could be in play if he slips to No. 6, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Cimini also examines the possibility of the team selecting offensive lineman Brandon Scherff, but points the Jets towards a pass rusher or receiver instead.

Here are a few other notes from around the AFC:

  • The Colts have a lack of depth along the defense, and could dramatically improve their team through the draft despite picking so late in the first-round. The team could stand to add along the defensive line, safety, and corner with high draft picks, according to Stephen Holder of IndyStar.com.
  • Trent Richardson‘s grievance over having the final year of his contract voided by the Colts still looms over the 2015 season, but this is not unusual as the timeline for these proceedings can often take a while, according to Mike Wells of ESPN.com. He writes that he wouldn’t be surprised if the team is forced to pay a portion of his 2015 salary, but doesn’t expect the Colts will be on the hook for the whole thing.
  • The Titans’ attempts at acquiring Philip Rivers from the Chargers may all be for show, but the deal makes a lot of sense to many NFL pundits, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennesseean. Wyatt breaks down the possible compensation that would be included in order to make the deal happen, based on a number of different opinions.
  • Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles has been one of the consistent, driving forces of the team’s offense for most of the past six years (excluding the torn-ACL season from 2011), and has been outspoken after the offense took a step back in 2014, writes the Associated Press on USAToday.com. He specifically pointed to the offensive line as a part of the team that needs improving. “I definitely want them to address that,” he said. “I’m not a GM, so I can’t do that job. But it was challenging last year playing with guys — some got hurt, some got suspended. So it was hard playing. I never knew how crucial it was to my career that I needed linemen.”

Contract Details: Bush, Richardson, Guy

March 20th, 2015 at 2:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are some details about contracts signed or agreed to within the last few days:

Reggie Bush, RB (49ers): One year, $2.2MM base value. $500K signing bonus. $1.1MM guaranteed. $100K workout bonus (via CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora on Twitter).

Trent Richardson, RB (Raiders): Two years, $3.45MM base value. $600K fully guaranteed. Can earn extra $400K in per-game roster bonuses (notes ESPN’s Adam Caplan on Twitter)

Lawrence Guy, DE (Ravens): Two years, $2.3MM base value. $500K to sign. (via Baltimore Sun reporter Aaron Wilson).

Raiders Sign Trent Richardson

March 17th, 2015 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

12:25pm: Per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter), it’s a two-year deal worth $3.9MM for Richardson. However, the running back can earn up to about $8MM via incentives.

12:04pm: The Raiders have officially signed Richardson, the team announced (via Twitter).

11:53am: Less than a week after he was cut by the Colts, running back Trent Richardson has found a new home in the AFC. According to Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter), Richardson will be signing a contract to join the Raiders. ESPN’s Bill Williamson (Twitter link) confirms that the two sides are in the “final stages” of completing a deal.Trent Richardson

Richardson, 23, was selected third overall in the 2012 draft by the Browns, but lasted just over a year in Cleveland, having been dealt to the Colts for a first-round pick early in the 2013 campaign. Richardson was underwhelming, to say the least, during his time in Indianapolis, recording 977 yards and six touchdowns on 316 rushing attempts across two seasons, while adding 55 receptions for 494 yards and a TD in 29 games (20 starts). During his time wearing blue and white, the Alabama product averaged just 3.1 yards per carry.

Richardson’s time in Indianapolis came to an unceremonious end when the Colts waived him after hitting him with a two-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team at the end of the 2014 season. Richardson, who missed a Colts walkthrough during AFC Championship week without notifying the club, reportedly was dealing with a family emergency involving “serious complications” to his girlfriend’s pregnancy, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.

The Colts’ suspension voided the guarantee on the former third overall pick’s $3.184MM base salary for the 2015 season, so Richardson and the NFLPA have filed a grievance against the team to attempt to recoup that money.

For the Raiders, adding Richardson to a roster that features Latavius Murray and newly-signed Roy Helu is an interesting decision. Richardson, who told Mike Wells of ESPN.com on his way out of Indianapolis that he expected to be the starter for his next team, may get a chance to compete for that job, with Helu expected to a change-of-pace option and Murray lacking in experience. The Raiders were strongly linked to DeMarco Murray before he landed with the Eagles, so it seems the team was intent on adding a veteran to the mix.

Still, for a team that spent last season with veteran runners like Maurice Jones-Drew and Darren McFadden struggling to get much of a ground game going, bringing in the ineffective Richardson looks like more of the same, even if he has more upside than the team’s former backs.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trent Richardson Files Grievance

March 13th, 2015 at 12:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Trent Richardson hasn’t yet cleared waivers, but he has already filed a grievance against his old team related to the suspension he received from the Colts at the end of the 2014 season, according to Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).

During the postseason, the Colts suspended Richardson for two games for conduct detrimental to the team after the running back missed a morning walkthrough before the AFC Championship game against the Patriots. The move voided the guarantee on the former third overall pick’s $3.184MM base salary for the 2015 season, so Richardson and the NFLPA will attempt to recoup that money through the grievance.

Richardson reportedly was dealing with a family emergency involving “serious complications” to his girlfriend’s pregnancy when he was absent for the Colts’ walkthrough, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.

Regardless of whether or not Richardson gets his guaranteed salary back from the Colts, he’s expected to pass through waivers shortly, and it sounds like he’s happy to be out of Indianapolis. The 24-year-old told Mike Wells of ESPN.com (Twitter link) yesterday that he and GM Ryan Grigson “didn’t see eye to eye.”

“My next step, I’ll be the starter,” Richardson said. “Indy didn’t fit me.”

While that’s an optimistic outlook for Richardson, I can’t imagine any team will sign expecting him to be the starter at this point, though he could compete for the role somewhere. One team that might be interested? The Titans, according to Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (Twitter link). A source tells McCormick not to be surprised if the team kicks the tires on Richardson once he clears waivers and becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Extra Points: Mariota, Richardson, Culliver

March 12th, 2015 at 6:40pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Jets have scheduled a pre-draft visit with Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter). Mariota says he’ll be meeting with the Bucs, Eagles and Titans at his pro day, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter) adds. Mariota’s pro day performance was underwhelming, Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean tweets, though as we saw last year with Teddy Bridgewater, we shouldn’t necessarily put a ton of stock into that. More from around the NFL..

  • After being officially waived by the Colts earlier, Trent Richardson gave an explanation for why it didn’t work out in Indianapolis, according to Mike Wells of ESPN (via Twitter). “Me and the GM didn’t see eye to eye,” said Richardson. “My next step, I’ll be the starter. Indy didn’t fit me.” The embattled halfback also confirmed that he was continually fined by the organization for being overweight (via Twitter). Richardson had told head coach Chuck Pagano he would have flown himself to New England for the AFC Championship game, but was told he would inactive regardless (via Twitter).
  • Long snapper James Winchester joined the Chiefs despite three other teams competing to sign him, writes Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter). The Chiefs now have three long snappers on the roster.
  • Washington is bringing in cornerback Chris Culliver for a visit, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter). However, La Canfora warns that a return to the 49ers for Culliver should not be ruled out, and that his value is rising with fewer top cornerbacks left on the market (via Twitter).
  • While both Shelley Smith and Stefen Wisniewski visited with the Seahawks, neither offensive lineman is expected to sign today, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter).
  • The 49ers have not closed the door on bringing Stevie Johnson back, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter). San Francisco released Johnson earlier this week after signing Torrey Smith, but it sounds like they might consider bringing him back at a cheaper rate.

Colts Waive Trent Richardson

March 12th, 2015 at 4:10pm CST by Zachary Links

The Colts announced that they have waived running backs Trent Richardson and Michael Hill.

Richardson had a bizarre ending to the season with the Colts, to say the least. The running back did not make the trip to New England with the team for the AFC Championship game against the Patriots. There was no specific reason for his absence at the time and it was only classified as a move made for personal reasons at the time. Richardson was actually a healthy scratch in favor of Hill for the team’s previous playoff game against the Broncos.

The Colts acquired the powerful tailback in a trade with the Browns in September of 2013. Indianapolis. looking to fortify their run game, sent Cleveland their first-round choice in 2014. Needless to say, the deal didn’t work out well for the Colts. The former No. 3 overall pick recorded 316 rushing attempts for 977 yards and six touchdowns across two seasons, while adding 55 receptions for 494 yards and a touchdown in 29 games (20 starts). In his time in blue and white, he averaged just 3.1 yards per carry. Richardson was owed just north of $3.18MM for 2015.

Hill was signed by the Colts as a free agent in January and appeared in two postseason games on special teams when T-Rich was not on the roster. In his two-year (2013-14) NFL career, Hill has recorded nine rushing attempts for 23 yards and two receptions for 23 yards in eight games played.

Both Richardson and Hill will have to pass through waivers before joining another team.

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