Trent Richardson Nurses Sore Knee and May Miss Preseason Opener

The Cleveland Browns’ Uberrookie running back Trent Richardson may sit out the team’s initial preseason game against Detroit, according to Head Coach Pat Shurmur. He indicated they’d evaluate him and go from there.

Richardson didn’t seem overly concerned about it and it appears so far it’s “simply” some swelling due to two weeks of camp on the same knee he had arthroscopic surgery on in February, causing him to miss working out at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this year.

It could be that it’s nothing more than the tail-end of his healing process and hadn’t ever truly been completely rehabilitated due to the differences in a collegiate and a professional-level training camp. Rookies’ bodies simply have never experienced the grind before and even a minor surgical procedure from six months ago can only add to the adjustment.

Since he was two years behind ex-teammate Mark Ingram and turned pro a year early, he’s got relatively little wear on him for a #3 overall draft pick. In two years of part-time duty with Ingram then full-time last year he’s got 540 career carries. 245 of those came last year, so he had doubled his workload from his first two seasons.

While this doesn’t appear to be a big concern, it will be something to keep an eye on. Mark Ingram had a history of getting dinged-up here and there but the New Orleans Saints traded up to take him late in the first round. He finished the season on Injured Reserve.

It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if the Browns play it safe with him and not even risk it. It’s the first PRE-season game, and it gives Shurmur a great excuse to evaluate all the other backs that much more. Richardson may not even take the field until their third game on Friday, August 24th against Philadelphia in their first home preseason contest.