Oakland Raiders: Will weight loss help Trent Richardson?

The Oakland Raiders are looking to continue to improve in 2015 after a few solid draft classes in recent years.

Oakland has the reputation of drafting “busts”, but they seem to be ran much better in the past few seasons, and that has helped them avoid poor draft picks. In recent years, one of the biggest NFL Draft busts has been running back Trent Richardson.

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Richardson signed with the Raiders as a free agent this offseason, and he will be looking to shed the label of being a bust in Oakland.

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In the 2012 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns selected Richardson from Alabama with the third overall pick. Richardson was deserving of being selected third overall, as in his junior season he totaled 1,679 rushing yards (averaging 5.9 yards per carry) and ran for 21 scores, plus amassed 338 receiving yards and caught three touchdown passes

After Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III were drafted, Richardson was next off the board.

May 19, 2015; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Trent Richardson (33) at organized team activities at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

In his rookie season, Richardson wasn’t more than adequate, running for 950 yards and 11 touchdowns while catching 51 passes for 367 yards. The number that was concerning about Richardson’s rookie season was that his yards per carry average was only at 3.6.

In the 2013 season, Richardson would only play two games for the Browns before he was traded to the Indianapolis Colts for a 2014 first-round pick. The aquistion of Richardson was supposed to help the Colts become a real threat in the AFC, but his first season in Indianapolis was a bad one.

In 14 games with the Colts in 2013, Richardson totaled just 458 rushing yards (three touchdowns) and racked up just 28 receptions for 265 yards. The excuse for Richardson’s poor play was that he was traded midseason to another team and had problems learning the Colts’ playbook.

With a full offseason in 2014, the Colts thought that Richardson would find his potential, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. In 2014, Richardson totaled 519 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 27 receptions, 229 receiving yards, and a dreadful 3.3 yards per carry average.

In the playoffs last season, things would turn ugly in the Colts and Richardson relationship as he was suspended. After the season, the Colts would waive Richardson, and just five days later he was signed by the Raiders.

Dec 7, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray (28) runs the ball against the San Francisco 49ers in the second quarter at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Latavius Murray figures to be the Raiders’ starting running back in 2015 after bursting onto the scene in 2014. The Raiders also added Roy Helu Jr. in the offseason, who figures to be the team’s primary receiving back.

Raiders’ offensive line coach Mike Tice seems to like what they have at running back, as he told SiriusXM NFL Raddio (via Raiders.com): “Each one has their own style. I like the [Latavius] Murray kid. He really came on in that veteran mini-camp. He got his legs under him and showed some quickness, some good finish. I thought the young man out of Alabama [Trent Richardson] came on. He lost some weight, his quickness came around.”

The Raiders are the third team for Richardson in the last three seasons, and his weight loss might be an indication that he realizes his chances are running out. Richardson has shown elite potential in college, but he hasn’t been able to find it at the pro level. If Richardson is in good shape he may finally remove the label of bust from his name.

Next: Raiders offensive line breakdown

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