Browns running back Trent Richardson has a new coach. And, as mentioned in the Tuesday morning one-liners, Richardson really wants to meet him.
“I like what [Chudzinski] did with Cam [Newton],” Richardson said, per Branson Wright of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “He got those boys to ball. Cam was successful in [Chudzinski’s] offense. He’s an offense guy, and that’s another good thing.”
What also will be good for Richardson is if, as reported, Norv Turner becomes the Browns’ offensive coordinator. Turner has a track record of heavy tailback use, from Emmitt Smith in Dallas to Ricky Williams in Miami to, if he didn’t break on his first carry of the preseason, Ryan Mathews in San Diego.
Though communication between players and coaches is, in theory, limited in the offseason, Richardson presumably will remain the primary tailback in Cleveland, given the investment made in 2012 to get him, when the prior brain trust curiously moved from No. 4 to No. 3 in round one. But with a new owner, CEO, coach, and (eventually) G.M., the Browns may feel differently about Richardson, especially since he had only 950 yards as a rookie.
Those numbers aren’t bad, but that’s not the production that should be expected from a guy who was drafted so highly.
That said, Richardson battled a rib injury for much of the year, and yet still started 15 games. “Because of my injury, I haven’t been able to lift hard with my upper body for 12 weeks,” Richardson said. “I’m ready to get back at it.”
With yet another new start, the Browns are ready to get back at it, too. And to hope that the outcome will be different than it’s been for every year of the last decade.