Holmgren: Richardson should be back on field next week

Browns running back Trent Richardson’s rehab from arthroscopic knee surgery is progressing well enough that team president Mike Holmgren said Wednesday that he should be back on the field next week.

Richardson was scheduled to run in a pool on Wednesday, Holmgren said during an interview with Sport Time Ohio passed along by Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. If that goes well, Richardson will graduate to running outside and he “should be back on the field doing something next week” assuming his knee cooperates with the increased workload.

All of which leads to the question of whether or not he’ll be able to play in Week One. Holmgren said that there’s a chance Richardson will be able to join fellow rookie Brandon Weeden in the lineup, but that the team is going to be smart about moving things forward. Richardson’s had two knee surgeries this year, which makes getting him back for Week One less important than making sure he doesn’t wind up with the hat trick.

After all, the Browns drafted Richardson, Weeden and wide receiver Josh Gordon with the idea that they’d be the foundation of the offense for a lot more than just this year. The sale of the team to Jimmy Haslam has shaken up the future significantly, but not enough that losing Richardson to a serious knee injury is going to help anyone’s chances of sticking around.

source: PFT.com
author: Josh Alper
photo by Ed Suba Jr/Akron Beacon Journal via ohio.com

Browns get deal done with Trent Richardson

As expected, the Browns have worked out a contract with the third overall pick in the draft.
Running back Trent Richardson has agreed to terms, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
The contract pays Richardson a signing bonus of $13.341 million, along with base salaries of $390,000 in 2012, $1.321 million in 2013, $2.252 million in 2014, and $3.184 million in 2015.
Like all first-round picks, the team holds an option for the fifth-year.  The Browns will be able to retain Richardson’s rights for 2016 by offering the average of the ten highest paid running backs in 2015.
The contract is fully-guaranteed, with no offset language.
The Browns moved up from the fourth pick to No. 3 to get Richardson, whom they hope will have an instant impact on the team’s running game — in turn opening up the passing game.
To get the most out of the running game and the passing game, the Browns need to get their other first-round pick signed.  Quarterback Brandon Weeden, the 22nd pick in the draft, reportedly wants his four-year deal to be fully guaranteed.  It’s a fairly smart move, given that there could be a new regime in Cleveland by 2015 — and Weeden could be getting the same treatment that 2010 third-rounder Colt McCoy is about to get.

source: PFT.com
author:  Mike Florio
photo: Ed Suba Jr Akron Beacon Journal via Ohio.com