Trent Richardson

[Pruitt]

I'll tell you that Tashard Choice (Bills 3rd stringer) seems to have more going for him than Richardson.

[wxwax]

Hey now. I've seen a lot of Tashard Choice over the years and that's a low blow.

[Andy Freeland]

Not that many running backs bloom late though. Typically these guys are done after 5 years or so.

Bluntly - the Colts may have to draft a running back this spring.

not many, but it does happen. Thomas Jones and Garrison Hearst come to mind.

[wxwax]

Donald Brown?

I liked him a lot at UConn, thought he'd be a sure-fire pro. He has come alive this season.

[ScottDCP]

Hey now. I've seen a lot of Tashard Choice over the years and that's a low blow.

To Tashard Choice, yes.

[Pruitt]

To Tashard Choice, yes.

It spoke volumes that when the Colts needed to run the ball to burn the clock in the 4th quarter last night that Richardson was nowhere to be seen. His only carries in the second half came when Brown was winded after his long run. Could Richardson be the Heath Shuler of running backs?

[Nancy]

Wow, everyone is so quick to give up on Richardson...to be sure, he hasn't been at all impressive, but he's only been there for a few weeks. I'm not ready to bail on the kid. The Colts don't run block especially well to begin with and I don't think Richardson knows or trusts his blockers yet. The Colts have also been playing from behind pretty much all season which hasn't helped the run game...Brown has shown flashes but other than last night, he hasn't exactly lit it up either; if the Colts are going to be the "grind it out" team that everyone says Pep Hamilton wants, they are going to have to give their backs a little more support. Richardson had a few runs that were just acceptable in terms of distance, but they were tough, tough yards. I still believe the potential is there--I vote to give him another season.

[ScottDCP]

Wow, everyone is so quick to give up on Richardson...to be sure, he hasn't been at all impressive, but he's only been there for a few weeks. I'm not ready to bail on the kid. The Colts don't run block especially well to begin with and I don't think Richardson knows or trusts his blockers yet. The Colts have also been playing from behind pretty much all season which hasn't helped the run game...Brown has shown flashes but other than last night, he hasn't exactly lit it up either; if the Colts are going to be the "grind it out" team that everyone says Pep Hamilton wants, they are going to have to give their backs a little more support. Richardson had a few runs that were just acceptable in terms of distance, but they were tough, tough yards. I still believe the potential is there--I vote to give him another season.

He has been used as a sledgehammer for five years. He isn't likely to get healthier playing full time and doesn't have the extra skills to be much of a surprise when he does get the ball. If he is in, it is a run with eight in the box or a play action no corner will bite on because there will be eight in the box. Not an enormously valuable player.

[vancemeek]

The blame goes to the Colts more than Richardson IMO. They traded a first round pick, which immediately puts pressure on him to make it be worth it. Add in one of the worst interior lines in the league, and they're not exactly setting him up for success. The Colts are so close to being legit championship contenders. They need to add a piece or two to the defense, and shore up the offensive line, but they traded away a pick they could do just that with to add a RB in a league that just doesn't value RBs. You don't see a lot of teams trading first round picks for a reason. The Colts made a huge mistake here, even if Richardson works out.

As for Richardson himself, he doesn't look right. He has no burst at all. When a hole opens up, instead of driving into it, he seems to just sort of stroll into it. When he tries to make a cut, he can't do it in one motion, instead having to slow down first. He looks like an 18-wheeler trying to take a tight corner. I don't know if it's injury, or something else, but he looks terrible right now.