Colts’ Trent Richardson is practicing with punt team

Indianapolis Colts running back Trent Richardson is practicing on punt coverage ahead of their game with the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Trent Richardson was acquired last season by the Indianapolis Colts from the Cleveland Browns in return for a first-round pick. Obviously the Colts immediately regretted trading away their first round pick after last season, and Richardson failed to prove them right this year.

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Heading into Sunday afternoon’s divisional playoff matchup against the Denver Broncos, Richardson was practicing as part of the Colts’ punt coverage team.

That would be a huge demotion for the former starting running back, and it appears that Dan “Boom” Herron has officially taken over the starting job long-term. Zurlon Tipton handled the backup running back duties last week, and Richardson wasn’t needed at all. Pep Hamilton has given Richardson every chance that he could, but they can’t force him on the field this coming week.

He has yet to record a 100-yard game throughout his first two seasons with the Colts, which is a major concern.

There have been flashes here and there of the talent that Ryan Grigson saw when he pulled the trigger for the Colts, but it hasn’t been even close to consistent. At 24 years of age, there is still plenty of time for Richardson to turn things around and get his career back on track. Indianapolis may already be looking to move on from him, and he’ll need to find a place with another team.

Quite simply, the Colts cannot afford to play him on Sunday and see him come up with yet another disappointing game. They have grown tired of him not improving, and Herron has shown the ability to be a playmaker on the ground.

It will be interesting to see what his role ends up being this week, and whether or not he’s actually used in punt coverage. If he is, that may very well signal the end of his tenure with the Colts.

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