Dang, Trent Richardson Has Shed Some Serious Weight
Trent Richardson is clearly trying to take advantage of what some believe could be his last shot in the NFL.
After the 5-foot-9 running back reached as high as 240 pounds, he is now weighing in at 218, according to his trainer and former Crimson Tide teammate Mike McCoy. The 22-pound drop this offseason means he's even lighter than his listed playing weight during his college days at Alabama.
"For all the people who counted this man out!!! Trust me when I tell you he is war ready, he is in the best shape of his life and a mindset of a King focused on the next territory to conquer!" McCoy wrote on Instagram with side-by-side pictures illustrating Richardson's weight loss.
"He will shock the NFL this year... Go shine like the star you are my guy!!!"
The 2012 third-overall pick hasn't lived up to his draft status. Just two games into his second season, the Cleveland Browns traded Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts. He spent two years there before becoming a free agent in 2015 and signing with the Oakland Raiders. Richardson was cut in training camp after reports of being overweight and struggling with injuries.
Depression from being traded and family issues led to Richardson's struggles, according to TouchdownAlabama.net, but McCoy says he's is ready to show the league again why he was worthy of a No. 3 pick.
"Trent has never been a bust by no means," McCoy said. "He had to learn how to value himself again."
Richardson will have an uphill battle to make the Ravens roster.
After spending 2015 out of football, the Ravens gave Richardson a fourth chance at an NFL career. They seemed satisfied with Richardson's progress after continually checking in this offseason on his training progress. But there are six running backs on the squad and three expected to make the final cuts into the regular season.
He'll need to make a huge impression on coaches during OTAs and training camp to beat out the other backs on the depth chart.
"Don't be surprised if you see Trent in the Pro Bowl or if he's named among the top-five running backs in the league next season," McCoy said. "Mark my words. I love him like he's family."
Joe Flacco's Advice To Carson Wentz
North Dakota's Carson Wentz is about to become the first non-FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) quarterback selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since the Ravens picked Joe Flacco in 2008.
Wentz is expected to be picked with one of the top two picks, and will enter the league with a tremendous amount of pressure.
So what is Flacco's advice for Wentz, having gone through a similar transition just eight years ago?
"If you're a good football player, it doesn't matter where you played at, and I think that's especially true as a quarterback," Flacco said on the Ron Jaworski Show on 97.5 The Fanatic.
"When you're a quarterback, it's all relative to a certain point," Flacco said. "You're not throwing to a 6-foot-4 receiver that runs a 4.3 against all I-AA corners. The windows are the same. It might not be technically as fast as some of the higher-level games. But, at the end of the day, the window is just as small because everyone on the field is notched down a little bit."
Poll Says Marylanders Split On Flacco's Eliteness
With the presidential primary coming to Maryland tomorrow, Public Policy Polling surveyed the state's residents on several pressing issues, including "Do you think Joe Flacco is a elite Quarterback, or not?" (Yes, that's exactly how it was written in the poll, bad grammar and all. Perhaps a hat tip to PFT Commenter.)
The people have spoken … and they are split.
The survey found that 39 percent of state voters say Flacco is elite, 31 percent say he is not, and 30 percent are not sure.
It's important to note that not all Marylanders identify as Ravens fans with several other professional football teams in close proximity to Baltimore. Thirty-eight percent of Maryland residents consider the Ravens their favorite NFL team, while 22 percent choose the Redskins. The Cowboys have 6 percent, the Steelers 5 percent and the Packers and Giants both have 4 percent.
Chances Of Laremy Tunsil Or Jalen Ramsey Fall To Baltimore?
A couple weeks ago, it seemed like a snowballs chance in you know where that top-ranked left tackle Laremy Tunsil could fall to the Ravens' sixth spot in the draft. Now it's seems more than feasible.
And while freakishly-athletic defensive back Jalen Ramsey still seems to be a bit of a stretch, his chances have also increased thanks to two trades at the top of the draft that virtually guarantees quarterbacks will be selected with the top two picks.
So what do you think the odds are of each falling, Jamison Hensley?
"If you want to put percentages to it, I would say there's a 10 percent chance of Ramsey sliding to No. 6 and a 60 percent [chance] for Tunsil. The difference is all three teams before the Ravens – the Chargers (No. 3), Cowboys (No. 4) and Jaguars (No. 5) – have all been linked to Ramsey. Only the Chargers are a viable team for Tunsil. If Tunsil gets past San Diego, it's a near certainty that he will be available when the Ravens are on the clock."
Depending on which elite defender is also still on the board, the Ravens will have a choice to make. How do you make a choice between Tunsil and a potential game-changing defender?
"To me, the decision on Tunsil is simple: If Ravens scouts and evaluators believe he'll become a dominant left tackle, one who will make a few Pro Bowl teams, you have to take him," wrote The Baltimore Sun's Jeff Zrebiec. "A stud left tackle is one of the most valuable commodities in the game.
"If the Ravens believe Tunsil will be more solid than spectacular, they should pass and find a defensive piece."
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