Cleveland Browns’ coach Pat Shurmur says RB Trent Richardson starter in opener – NFL News
Cleveland Browns coach Pat Shurmur has confirmed running back Trent Richardson will be starter in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday provided he is able to sustain the training regime, which he returned to for the first time on
Monday.
Trent had a microscopic surgery to rectify a minor knee problem on August 09 and spent almost the entire past month in recovery and rehab from it, finally showing up for practice a day earlier with a rubber sleeve on the knee.
The coach who witnessed the player doing the workout has expressed optimism about his availability in the opening game. He also expects him to be on the starting line if he retains the present level of practice throughout this week.
Pat said:
"If he's ready to go, he will be our starter. Trent looked good. He was in team (drills). I knew he'd be out here and he did a good job. It was his first day back in practice, so we did what we could do. Trent looked healthy running around."
Trent’s return to action has happened a day after the coach and general manager Tom Heckert refused to give exact information around immediate prospects of the player as a strategy to let their opponents know nothing about him and other players available
on their squad.
Now the situation has become rather clear that Trent is going to be a part of the side for the weekend’s game, which will mark beginning of his pro career era.
Apparently, the team has a plan to gradually ease him into the playing conditions. He will not be required to do intensive training or conditioning workout but allow the knee to gain in full strength before getting into full workout regime.
Both, the coach and GM, have boasted higher level of fitness that Richardson naturally maintains and discarded a need for putting him through comprehensive testing procedures to prove his fitness.
Also, since arthroscopic procedures are of smaller nature they do not require as much time for healing as normal operations. A couple of weeks’ time is enough to regain full health and fitness. In Trent’s situation he has already spent nearly a month on
the process.
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