It's a Morey-type move, a la Kyle Lowry's trade to Toronto. Gives them another (great) bargaining chip should their draft position not be ideal.
You're trying to evaluate a draft class based on two games. Take a step back, and breathe. It's not necessarily about "immediate production", but getting maximum long-term value out of their picks and building a contender, which isn't going to happen in 2013 regardless of whether they average 275 yards/game or 325 yards/game.
Great move for both teams unfortunately to the detriment of our own division. Browns can now probably get Jadaveon Clowney with their top 3 pick and Johnny Manziel or some other great college quarterback with that 20th pick. Colts got much better with Trent. As long as he stays healthy for the long haul he is a very strong running back (check out his guns) he can be a bruiser, catch out of the backfield and pass protect and now he is out of the Browns so he will play even harder and enjoy the game more because he isn't a part of some losing organization. He is very capable of averaging 1000 to 1200 yards a season if healthy almost had 1000 in his rookie year. I just hope we can get that first win in Indy it is looking more and more unlikely.
That's the thing, it's not just 2 games. These guys had 4 months and an entire offseason to watch these guys draft, develop, and put them in place to succeed. I agree they won't turn it around in one season but these guys were obviously trying to build a contender for at the least a wild card playoff spot. Every commentator had this team pegged as dark-horse sleepers to contend for the AFC North. So it could pretty much go both ways. You say I'm evaluating their rookies off 2 games but these guys are evaluating their ENTIRE team and season off those same 2 games. If this was basketball I could definitely understand tanking and trading for a bunch of non-protected 1st rounders but it's football. There's no lottery, no one superstar to turn the team around and then a crap shoot the rest of the way. This is a league were you can find talent anywhere. From undrafted free agents to the CFL. I don't think there would have been much of a difference whether they traded Richardson or not unless they put that pick to good use. And just like this trade regarding Trent's potential outcome that'll take a wait and see approach.
Damn, watching ESPN this morning you'd think Richardson was an absolute stud and hasn't had a mediocre career up to this point. Could he be better with an actual passing threat at QB? Maybe. But that's just hopeful thinking at this point.
See that's the problem. It isn't an entirely new regime. If it were say the Colts Ryan Grigson or a fresh GM like that then I would concur. As in a brand new GM(never held that position but obviously worked in personnel until getting the main job just a year or so ago). The Browns have Mike Lombardi running that ship and so it isn't a new regime given he already worked there and also has a track record with the Raiders. Combine that with this team being the Browns and tell us why should any Browns fan have confidence in the right decisions being made with this additional 1st round pick?
How is a year + 2 games for a RB in a team with a poor excuse for a passing game around him a suitable amount of time? If the RB's name is Adrian Peterson then sure. I do understand your point, I just believe you hold onto him, draft your new QB in the 1st with the top 5 pick you'd be in line for anyway, draft another rb with one of the multiple picks they have in the 2nd or 3rd and give it another go. Without a doubt they wouldn't be able to get a 1st rounder for him next year but who knows if they don't need to because with a legitimate "young" QB that keeps defences honest, Richardson shows improvement from this season to the next? Meh, anyway, deep down I think the trade will work out for both teams.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Willis McGahee passed his physical, team sources tell me. He is now a member of the Browns.</p>— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffDarlington/statuses/380768413682905088">September 19, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
But even Stevie Wonder can see that their draft position would be ideal regardless of this trade or not. Anyone in their right mind think they wouldn't end up with a top 5 or even possibly a top 3 pick regardless of this trade?
Sometimes a couple of training camps (plus a full season) is all a team needs to evaluate a guy, especially at RB. Don't be surprised if Richardson doesn't get much better than he is now. If you seriously believe the Browns would have gotten a 1st rounder next spring for a two-year RB who averaged less than 4 yards per carry, oh well. But if Trent has a breakout season this year in Indy, good for him.
I think the Colts made a bad move once again. They have been spending money left and right this past year and the first two games, they appeared worst than last year. Reggie Wayne is getting older, they just lost their TE and starting guard for the year. They will compete with the Titans for second in the division this year.
This is true. ESPECIALLY for RBs. 2 years and you know. You don't wait forever for a RB to show potential because it's such a physical position. Either you have the speed and strength to play the position or you don't.
[rQUOTEr]Holmgren: “Philosophically, if I am the coach and someone came in anywhere and did that, I’d say ‘OK, fire me, or I’m going to quit,’” Holmgren told KJR’s Dave Mahler, via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. “Or we’re going to both go into the owner and talk about this and then we’ll see who’s still standing.”’ ... “How do you make your team better by trading your best player?” Holmgren said. “He’s the best offensive player. He’s a valuable, valuable guy.” In fact, had Holmgren been the head coach of the Browns when this trade had happened, it’s quite possible that the Browns would be looking for a new head coach as well. “I’d shake hands and walk. I would. Because if I disagreed with it vehemently, and I couldn’t buy in, I mean, I’m not saying I’m right, I’m saying that’s what I would do, because you have to be true to yourself in this business.” Richardson heard about the trade on the radio, and Holmgren heard about the trade from his daughter. “I thought she was kidding around. I didn’t believe it. I went on my computer and saw it. I had a lot of emotions, because I really liked the young man and I really think he’s an outstanding football player. It was something that we needed, and he had a really fine first year and he played through pain and injury, so I was startled by that. ” “On the surface, I tried to make sense of it. I wanted to know what in the world? It appears after seeing the press conference, they’re not coming out and saying it, but they’re preparing for next year’s draft. I listened to the coach and he says we want to be competitive. Who’s going to be the running back? They don’t even know who’s going to be the running back this week.” Holmgren also said during the interview that he was ready to give up his entire 2012 draft to move up from third to first and select Andrew Luck. “And now a year later, they get both of them,” Holmgren said of the new Luck-Richardson combo. “If you asked [Colts GM Ryan Grigson] last year, ‘Would you trade your 24th pick in the first round for Trent Richardson,’ you would do that easily.”[/rQUOTEr]
Ok, I get that a couple of training camps plus one season might be all a team needs to evaluate a RB. Just want to clarify, if you read my earlier post you replied to, I agreed that obviously the Browns wouldn't have received a 1st rounder for him next spring(the way he has been playing). Anyway, we'll see how the Colts do and how the Browns fare next spring.
