Running back Trent Richardson and strong safety T.J. Ward are among the players Browns coach Rob Chudzinski ruled out for the preseason opener Thursday night against the visiting St. Louis Rams.
“Those guys would be available to play normally,” Chudzinski said Wednesday during his post-practice news conference. “But since it’s the preseason we’re going to be smart with them and hold them for the game.”
Richardson, the third overall pick in last year’s draft, missed two practices last week after being kicked in the right shin, the same one in which he suffered a strained muscle in the spring. He returned to practice Monday and took three carries in team drills, but he hasn’t worked in any 11-on-11 sessions since.
Richardson missed most of training camp and all four preseason games last year after undergoing surgery Aug. 9 to have a piece of loose cartilage removed from his left knee. Still, he made it back in time for the 2012 regular-season opener.
Chudzinski said he’s not concerned about Richardson’s durability and will determine his status for the other preseason games week by week.
Richardson's questionable durability has us a bit down on him relative to the general consensus. Richardson struggled with injuries down the stretch, only averaging 3.3 YPC in his final six games. But his saving grace was that he managed to find the endzone six times in that same span. He's a solid pick in the late 1st round.
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