The Colts are in the midst of once again outrunning season expectations, but there’s an elephant in the room that no one seems to be willing to address.
That Trent Richardson trade was a bad idea. Seriously, it’s not working for the Colts.
Since joining the Colts, Trent Richardson has averaged just three yards per carry, and seeing him on the field is anything but impressive. Richardson may improve the Colts’ running game, but his impact has been marginal at best, and there’s no denying his efforts to this point have been lackluster.
The Browns’ willingness to trade Richardson after just one full season in the league should have tipped the Colts off that something wasn’t quite right. Cleveland, while no better without Richardson in the lineup, was able to gain a valuable first round pick for a running back not worth a first day selection in the draft. Frankly, the Browns were likely elated to be getting premium compensation for a runner that had never shown elite talent.
For the time being, Trent Richardson will continue to stay in the background. The Colts appear to be a sound, solid football team, but you can bet we’ll be revisiting this trade before the draft in the offseason. The Colts are a playoff caliber squad, but they’re not quite to the point of being a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
Usually, teams use high draft picks to acquire young talent that will stick with the team for years to come, and the Browns’ extra first round selection in 2014 will just serve as a reminder of the Colts biggest misstep under Ryan Grigson’s regime yet.
To this point, Grigson and Co. have been aggressive in finding talented players and bringing them into the fold, and it’s worked out almost every time in the Colts’ favor. He was bound to pick a flop sooner or later, and while it’s too soon to call Trent Richardson a flop, it’s obvious to even the most casual observer he wasn’t worth a first round pick.
