Richardson's Career was Doomed Following Trade from Browns

                Trent Richardson’s career has hit rock-bottom. Richardson, selected No. 3 overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2012 NFL Draft, was released by the Oakland Raiders on Monday. He played just one preseason game for Oakland, totaling 19 yards on five carries. The 25-year-old missed the beginning of training camp while suffering from pneumonia.

                A highly touted running back out of Alabama, Richardson had a (relatively) strong rookie campaign. He rushed for 950 yards and 11 touchdowns, while adding 367 yards and a score on 51 receptions. He managed these numbers despite playing nine games with broken ribs. It should be noted, though, that Richardson only averaged 3.6 yards per carry—which stands now as his career-high.

                Two games into the 2013 season, the Browns traded Richardson in exchange for a first-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts—a move Cleveland was highly scrutinized for making at the time, but are now universally praised for pulling off. Despite high hopes, Richardson never materialized into a formidable running back with Indianapolis. Richardson averaged just 2.9 yards per carry after being acquired by the Colts in 2013 and followed up with 3.3 yards per attempt last season. Even though they paid a high price to acquire the running back, the Colts parted ways with Richardson following a disappointing 2014 season.

                A major draft bust, Richardson was unable to make the Raiders roster. He signed a two-year $3.9 million deal with Oakland in the offseason—with a whopping $600,000 guaranteed (what were the Raiders thinking?). One of the league’s all-time disappointments, Richardson arrived to camp overweight, leading to his release.

               The struggles of Richardson since his departure from Cleveland underscore how talented the Browns' offensive line has been in recent years. The Browns’ O-line made Richardson look like a capable NFL running back, something the bust has proven to be otherwise since being shipped to Indianapolis. Major props should be handed to Joe Thomas, one of the greatest left tackles in league history, two-time Pro Bowl center Alex Mack and veteran guard John Greco.

               The highly-respected Browns’ offensive linemen were able to mask the weaknesses of Richardson. They helped Richardson compile 11 rushing touchdowns in his first year as a pro, breaking Jim Brown's franchise record for most rushing TDs by a rookie. Richardson, who simply cannot break out for big runs, was destined to fail once he departed Cleveland and their formidable offensive line.

               Fast forward to present-day and Richardson’s NFL career may be finished. As for the state of the Browns offensive line? The unit has actually strengthened in the past few seasons with guard Joel Bitonio shining as a rookie last season and with the team adding Florida State standout Cameron Erving with their second 1^st-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. 

Texans Make Wise Move in Naming Hoyer Starter

                Brian Hoyer has been named the Houston Texans starting quarterback, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport has reported. Hoyer had been battling with Ryan Mallett for the QB job throughout training camp.

                The Texans inked Hoyer to a two-year, $10.5 million deal this past offseason. The 29-year-old started the Texans’ preseason opener against the San Francisco 49ers while Mallett started Saturday's game versus the Denver Broncos. Mallett finished Saturday’s contest with a 75.3 passer rating, failing to make his case to overtake Hoyer for the starting gig.

                Hoyer posts a 10-7 career record as a starting quarterback. Spending the past two seasons with the Cleveland Browns, he won 10 of his 16 starts. He is the first Browns quarterback to post a winning record since Vinny Testaverde—who played with Cleveland from 1993-95—and the only to do so since the franchise was revived in 1999. Hoyer led the Browns to a 7-4 start last season, before losing his job to rookie Johnny Manziel in Week 15. In 13 starts and 14 appearances overall last season, Hoyer threw for 3,326 yards and 12 touchdowns with 13 interceptions.

Brian Hoyer will be under center for the Houston Texans when the 2015 season kicks off. (Andrew J. Phillip/AP)

                Handing the quarterback duties to Hoyer, a seven-year pro, was a logical move by head coach Bill O’Brien. Mallett, a third-round draft selection in 2011, has made just two starts in his career. The Texans made the correct choice in settling the quarterback battle with Hoyer holding an edge in experience, consistency and decision-making, and throwing less practice interceptions than Mallett. Hoyer gelled with the Texans starters in the first preseason contest. He threw a 58-yard touchdown pass to Cecil Shorts III on Houston's first drive and also connected with DeAndre Hopkins for a 2-point conversion to give the Texans an 8-0 lead in an eventual 23-10 victory.

                The statistics for Hoyer last season—32^nd (out of 33 qualified QB’s) in completion percentage (55.3) and 30^th in QBR (39.8)—were not pretty but the veteran QB was able to record more wins (7) than losses (6), something no quarterback has done for roughly two decades for the once-proud but now woebegone Browns franchise. Hoyer spearheaded the Browns to the greatest road comeback in NFL history against the Tennessee Titans in Week 5 a season ago. He also garnered immense praise last year from former teammate Joe Thomas, one of the most dominant and respected left tackles in league history.

                 "He's [Hoyer] a lot like Tom Brady," Thomas told The Cleveland Plain Dealer last year. "When you look at the way he competes and the way he demands the most out of everybody around him, it's no coincidence that those guys played together. (Hoyer) has a lot of those same mental attributes and that's a great thing for a quarterback to have."

               With Hoyer under center, the Texans will look to make the postseason for the first time since 2012.

2014 Pro Bowl Unconferenced Ballot: Offensive Players

The NFL Pro Bowl will no longer be played between the AFC and NFC. Instead, players will be chosen  regardless of their respective conference. Each position has a certain amount of players that will be selected, with the hope that the best players will make the game, no what conference they play in.

"The NFL's top two vote-getters on offense and defense become team captains for Deion Sanders' team and Jerry Rice's team. In a fantasy draft style setting, the captains pick from the voted all-stars to form the teams. And when the stars are realigned, it's teammate versus teammate in the new Pro Bowl: Unconferenced." 

With further ado, here is my 2014 Pro Bowl Ballot by position (and number of players in parenthesis allowed per position) for offensive players.

Offense:

Quarterback (6)

Peyton Manning, Broncos

Drew Brees, Saints

Philip Rivers, Chargers

Tom Brady, Patriots

Russell Wilson, Seahawks

Nick Foles, Eagles

Running Back (6)

Jamaal Charles, Chiefs

LeSean McCoy, Eagles

Adrian Peterson, Vikings

Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks

Matt Forte, Bears

Frank Gore, 49ers

Wide Receiver (8)

 Calvin Johnson, Lions

Josh Gordon, Browns

Dez Bryant, Cowboys

Antonio Brown, Steelers

Alshon Jeffery, Bears

DeMaryius Thomas, Broncos

Andre Johnson, Texans

Julian Edelman, Patriots

Fullback (2)

Mike Tolbert, Panthers

Marcel Reece, Raiders

Tight End (4)

Jimmy Graham, Saints

Julius Thomas, Broncos

Vernon Davis, 49ers

Jordan Cameron, Browns

Tackle (6)

Joe Thomas, Browns

Trent Williams, Redskins

Tyron Smith, Cowboys

Nate Solder, Patriots

Jason Peters, Eagles

Joe Staley, 49ers

Guard (6)

Ben Grubbs, Saints

David DeCastro, Steelers

Evan Mathis, Eagles

Josh Sitton, Packers

Louis Vasquez, Broncos

Larry Warford, Lions

Center (4)

Ryan Kalil, Panthers

Chris Myers, Texans

Manny Ramirez, Broncos

Alex Mack, Browns