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New Orleans Saints work out RB Trent Richardson

By John Buhler

May 26, 2015; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Trent Richardson (33) carries the ball under the supervision of running backs coach Bernie Parmalee at organized team activities at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
May 26, 2015; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Trent Richardson (33) carries the ball under the supervision of running backs coach Bernie Parmalee at organized team activities at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New Orleans Saints worked out free agent running back Trent Richardson, among others, on Monday after the news of Khiry Robinson being out for the year with a broken tibia

According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, The New Orleans Saints worked out running back Trent Richardson this afternoon. The Saints need a backup tailback after hearing that Khiry Robinson will miss the rest of 2015 with a fractured tibia.

The New Orleans Saints have played incredible offense the last three weeks to get back to .500, but losing Robinson severely hampers the team’s need to stay balanced with a decent rushing attack. Even with Mark Ingram doing well as a featured back, the Saints still need a decent change of pace back. Does potentially signing Trent Richardson help them in any capacity?

After a stellar collegiate career in Alabama, Richardson went third overall in the 2012 NFL Draft to the Cleveland Browns. His ineffectiveness at tailback for the Browns allowed him to go to the Indianapolis Colts in a trade. Cleveland wisely used their mulligan on quarterback Johnny Manziel.

Richardson struggled again in Indianapolis and was no longer on the Colts after 2014. He then signed with the Oakland Raiders, who are actually good this year, but failed to make the club during the preseason. Trent Richardson has failed to make an impact on three NFL teams in less than four years. Why should the Saints take a chance on him?

New Orleans is near Tuscaloosa, so a sort of homecoming could help Richardson get right in the Crescent City. In his previous three stops, his former employers looked at him like a featured back, even though he never became that in the NFL. A situational role with the New Orleans Saints might stand as a last-ditch effort to keep Richardson in the league.

The Saints are now back in the NFC Playoff mix as of yesterday. Drew Brees is looking great, but the defense can’t stop anybody. New Orleans is playing with house money at this point and could risk bringing on Trent Richardson. Should they sign him and he fails again in his fourth NFL stop, that’s it for the former All-American at the University of Alabama.

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