2012 draft: 2nd and 3rd overall picks - any interest?

[Bulls on Parade]

Both players selected right after the Colts drafted Andrew Luck number one overall, can be had for relatively cheap right now. The Raiders just released running back Trent Richardson, and the Redskins may end up releasing Robert Griffin III although they would like to trade him for some value before they get to that point.

Can you imagine? I mean, wow. There was a time when these guys were viewed as future superstars in this league which is why they were drafted in the top three. Are both players that much of a bust already? I'd have taken a flier on either of them at some point. Especially now that we have a starting quarterback and running back with little experience, in terms of regular-season games started, entering this 2015 season.

Maybe if I pick up the newest copy of Madden Football on XBOX One I'll take over a bad team and acquire both players, just to see if I can get any juice out of them, and turn them into franchise players. I love a challenge even if it's a virtual reality simulation.

I doubt the Houston Texans would have any interest in Robert Griffin III and Trent Richardson. Even though it would be cool to say we have the two players drafted right after the Colts selected Andrew Luck number one overall in that 2012 NFL Draft. Three years later I still believe both players are young enough to still reach their full potential if they stay healthy. Injuries have hurt both of them but they both had really strong rookie years.

 

[The Pencil Neck]

I would have loved to have drafted RGIII when he was coming out, but I wouldn't have wanted to put him right out onto the field the way the Redskins did. By creating the offense around him the way they did, I think they stunted his growth, getting short-term benefit, but ruining him long-term. I think he's broken and pretty much unsalvageable now.

I never liked Trent Richardson. I never wanted him. I didn't think he was an NFL back. I was surprised he got picked that high, and surprised the Colts were stupid enough to trade for him.

 

[Bulls on Parade]

I don't know why Trent Richardson is struggling so much. I watched his last preseason game when the Raiders played the Cardinals, and he did have a nice 15-yard run up the gut, breaking a couple of tackles, and showed some fire in his belly on that one play. I guess that was the only good play he had because he was released not long after that game. He had 4 runs for 4 yards in his other 4 carries. Finished with 5 and 19.

But it's that 15-yard run which makes me think, damn, if only that 3rd overall pick from 2012 could play like that more consistently he could be a huge steal for somebody. You can sign him for the veteran minimum right now. The Raiders had signed him for only $600,000. He's a low-risk, high-reward guy. Young enough to still have three or four high-carry years left on his body. He wouldn't be washed up like most backs in his position typically are.

It's not like Ray Rice (washed up) or even Pierre Thomas (who would cost too much). This is a young guy who would cost amazingly cheap under the NFL salary cap. He'd be an option anyways. I guess it would take an injury or two, to Blue, Polk, Grimes and even James for us to consider it.

Likewise, it probably takes a season-ending injury to Hoyer and Mallett for us to even kick the tires on a Robert Griffin trade or something along those lines. I doubt we'll do anything big and drastic unless we have to.

If the Redskins end up releasing RG3, I'd be tempted if our guys don't play well.

 

[xtruroyaltyx]

Had this debate around draft time about Trent Richardson. He has little feel for playing running back and poor vision. All he does is run up his linemens backs. The colts were fools for making that trade. They had better backs on their roster already.

Id take RG3 but I wouldn't give up higher than a 5th round pick. And that may be too high considering on top of his poor ability as a QB he's terribly injury prone. I think a 6th round pick is fair value.

 

[Bulls on Parade]

I don't know why but I believe RG3 still has plenty of good football left in him. I'd like to see him go to a new team and have a lot of success and prove all the haters wrong.

 

[infantrycak]

Richardson is pure bust. RGIII is going to be a lonely declared bankruptcy headcase. He could have been. Something but for his head.

 

[sandman]

Scary how Wilson-esque his rookie year was. 65%/3200/20:5 TD ratio/102 QBR along with 800+ yards rushing. And while his second season was a disappointment and he was sat down the last three games, his 13 game total wasn't too bad at 60%/3200/16:12/82 QBR with 500 yards rushing. He has the tools, but I do think it is in his head. Not as in stupid, but as in overly-sensitive and let's people/things live rent-free in his head. Mentally weak from a football perspective. Hope he finds a good place to exorcize those demons and showcase some serious talent.

 

[Bulls on Parade]

Scary how Wilson-esque his rookie year was. 65%/3200/20:5 TD ratio/102 QBR along with 800+ yards rushing. And while his second season was a disappointment and he was sat down the last three games, his 13 game total wasn't too bad at 60%/3200/16:12/82 QBR with 500 yards rushing. He has the tools, but I do think it is in his head. Not as in stupid, but as in overly-sensitive and let's people/things live rent-free in his head. Mentally weak from a football perspective. Hope he finds a good place to exorcize those demons and showcase some serious talent.

He also led the Redskins to a two Touchdown lead over the Seahawks in the playoffs, looked really good in the playoffs, before he had to come out of the game with an injury and the Seahawks came back to win. Was that his rookie year too? He was a game changer just three years ago. Is he that old and injury prone not to take a chance on now? He still seems like a young stud no different than Cam Newton and Russell Wilson. Well the big difference is injuries have derailed his early years.

As far as Trent Richardson. If nothing else he's a body that can rack up carries. You never know what injuries we may suffer. If Blue and Polk suffer a serious injury early in the season we'll be desperate for whoever's available on the open market. Let's hope Arian Foster is back Week 5 against the Colts. He may not be out as long as people thought.

I think the Texans will be 4-0 before our big matchup with the Colts Week 5.
I'm upset Pierre Thomas didn't want to be a part of this team. Still a free agent.

 

[chicagotexan2]

RgIII at least showed a flash of what he could have been. Richardson is simply awful and basically the Jamarcus Russell of RB's. Three teams believed in his ability and all 3 have been proven wrong.

 

[bah007]

Richardson is done. If you can't catch on with Oakland on that kind of contract then your career is over. Classic example of people falling in love with a physical specimen instead of a football player. How bad is he? If I told you he runs the ball with his eyes closed you would believe me without question.

Griffin has physical tools, but his brain puts them in the wrong order. A pocket passer with athleticism can succeed in this league. Russell Wilson and others before him have confirmed this. But an athletic QB is different from an athlete playing QB. Griffin will always try to use his legs before his arm. Always. It's what he did in high school, college, and in the NFL during the only time he had success. The problem with those kind of QBs is that they have a very short shelf life. As soon as his legs are gone he has lost his primary weapon. His arm is his secondary weapon, and without the threat of his legs, he will be and has been exposed.

Great college player. World class athlete. But nobody ever mentally prepared him for the NFL and the physical damage he has taken severely limits what he will be capable of from here on out.

Pass on both.