The bad news is that Browns running back Trent Richardson likely needs another knee surgery. The good news is that it’s expected to be a minor procedure that should have him ready to go for the regular-season opener.
Richardson, who is traveling to Florida for a visit with Dr. James Andrews, has tentatively scheduled arthroscopic surgery to clean up loose cartilage, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports. But while knee surgery sounds scary for a rookie running back, the Browns view it as a minor procedure and unrelated to the previous surgery Dr. Andrews conducted on the same knee, which was done to repair a torn meniscus.
According to Mortensen, Richardson is expected to be ready by Week 1 of the regular season, if not sooner. (It seems awfully unlikely that the Browns would risk Richardson getting hurt in an exhibition game, but Mortensen’s report suggests that it’s possible he could play in the preseason.)
As knee surgeries go, a minor arthroscopic procedure that will keep him out only a few weeks is about as good as the news can get. But Richardson needing his second knee surgery of the year before the season starts still has to be considered unfortunate news in Cleveland.