Trent Richardson expects to be starter for Raiders, says Colts 'bad marriage'

Tuesday the Raiders added recently cut running back Trent Richardson to the mix at running back. The former third overall pick was traded by the Browns after one season and then cut after two seasons with the Colts. Still he comes to the Raiders with the expectation of being a starter.

"Most definitely," Richardson said of his expectation to be the starter. "If a guy is coming in and doesn't expect to be a starter, why is that guy here? For me, I expect to be a starter wherever I'm at. I just can't wait for the opportunity."

To get a shot at starting with the Raiders, Latavius Murray stands in his way. Murray became the Raiders starter late last season and burst onto the scene. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry and rushed for 424 yards and 2 touchdowns despite not getting extensive carries until week 12.

Richardson started 37 of the 46 games in which he appeared with the Browns and Colts. But near the end of his time in Indianapolis he was incurring fines for being overweight and was a healthy scratch from the lineup at one point. He says is was merely a case of a bad fit with the Colts.

"From the beginning, trying to fit into [the Colts] program, it was different for me," he said. "For me, it was more of me being an all-time blocker. There's nothing wrong with blocking, but I still want to be able to help the team in different types of ways. I don't look at it as a bad thing. I just think it was a bad marriage. With that, I don't blame the O-line or anybody else. At the end of the day, I can still get better and I'm going to be working my tail off and trying to be the best running back now."

While he says he is not blaming anyone else, he also doesn't shoulder any of the blame himself. Recently he complained that the Colts were fining him for being three pounds overweight. He was at 250 and they wanted him at 247. In his mind it seemed petty. Clearly to the Colts it was not. It seems "working [his] tail off" was quite literally what they were asking him to do.

Even still, Richardson averaged just slightly less yards per carry with the Colts (3.1) than he did with the Browns (3.5). He sees the Raiders system as a good fit for him to revive his career.

"Most definitely," Richardson said. "In my first season, I think it was something close to it, but it is what it is. I played the whole season with broken ribs, and I rushed for like 950 and I played 14 games. Last year, just in Indy, that system just didn't fit me. When I got there, started off kind of early this year, it was going good and then I ended up getting hurt and then stuff just kind of bagged off. Just looking back on it, that's a taste that you never want to get in your mouth again. Hopefully this is my last stop, and I'm going to do whatever I can to make this my last stop. Until I'm ready to walk away from the game, I don't want to leave here."

"I'm just coming in and looking for this opportunity. Not saying that I've got to start over, but right now, it's just a fresh start for me. It's something that I can build off of and know that I can lose. With my mindset and the chip that's on my shoulder, it's no looking back."