Browns running back Trent Richardson seems, at any given moment, to be trying to overcome an injury or waiting for his next one.
His next one came on Thursday. According to coach Rob Chudzinski, Richardson suffered a shin injury during practice.
As a result, Richardson didn’t practice Friday. Chudzinski downplayed the absence.
“It looks like yesterday he got kicked so we decided to hold him out,” Chudzinski said of Richardson, in quotes distributed by the team. “He should be OK. We feel good about it. We are not worried about it. It is part of the plan we have for him. We will continue to keep him healthy and rested and get him ready for the season.”
Chudzinski said the injury happened to the same leg that created concerns in the offseason.
It’s smart that the Browns are being careful with Richardson. But he plays a position that, once the games begin, isn’t conducive to being careful. The player is going to get hit, and he needs to be sufficiently durable to not get hurt. Or able to find a way to keep going if he is.
Richardson started 15 games last year, so he’s clearly willing to play through injury. The key to maximizing his talents will be to find a way to avoid injury altogether.