How We Trade Raped The Colts

With emotions running high, most people just assumed the Trent trade was a classic Cleveland blunder. Social media was set ablaze and once again Cleveland was in the national spot light looking like a fool with it's pants on the ground.

I saw hundreds of posts, replies, and rants via all sorts of social media last night and this morning. People not thinking, just assuming that Cleveland was at the "Taco" end of a trade (thats a The League reference for those who don't watch one of the best shows on TV).

If only all of what I saw on social media was directed at me, I could have shown these people how to use your head and this thing called logic. In my opinion, the Browns got tremendous value for Richardson. The following will be a rhetorical Q & A. Kind of like when I plan an entire argument out in my head against my girlfriend, which usually never works out.

Again, these are all things I saw over the past 18 hours.

Also, some may just be statements instead of questions, still goes with the flow in my head.

Q: What the fuck did we just do!? We just traded our best player and franchise back!

A: Whoa compadre, the Browns just did what they thought best for the future of the team. And if you think he was our best player than I can't help you. And wtf is a franchise back? Is Trent gonna read the D, make checks, throw the ball, and run the ball? Cause so far he's done none of those.

Q: Trent's a beast! The Browns just gave up. I'm done with this team!

A: Ok, I know thats just an egregious statement rather than a question but we'll let it slide. Is Trent a beast though? Or do people just think he's a beast because he did great at Alabama and was picked at 3? What has Trent done exactly to be considered a beast? Run some dude over last year that's now a penalty? Fullbacks do that all the time and still have a better YPC than Trent. Hillis did that all the time. Speaking of Hillis, check out these stats.

Player A: 270 rushes, 1177 yards, 61 catches, 477 yards
Player B: 298 rushes, 1095 yards, 58. catches, 418 yards
Player C: 302 rushes, 1401 yards, 61 catches, 444 yards

Player A: Peyton Hillis during his 2010 season with the Browns as a glorified fullback.
Player B: Trent's entire career with the Browns, as a 3rd overall pick deemed the next AP.
Player C: Jerome f'ing Harrison's career Browns stats as a 3rd down back.

Oh, and for those who said you're done with the team. I hope you are. But I know you'll be back in April. See you then.

Q: Well Trent's o-line has been terrible for him.

A: I'll admit it hasn't been great this year. But last year everyone said it was the only bright part of the team. And last year Trent's numbers were pedestrian. Good, not great. And he was out preformed by 3 other rookies. And how were our o-line's when Hillis and Harrison were rushing?

Q: We have no passing game, so teams load the box to stop him.

A: You're right. Thankfully Christian Ponder and that high octane passing attack in Minnesota keeps the defense off Peterson.

Q: Why do we keep comparing Trent to Peterson?

A: Um, how bout cause we traded up to 3 to get him, and no other running back was taken that high in the last 10 years besides Peterson. We traded up with the intention that he was the next Peterson. AP averaged 5.6 YPC his rookie year. He also made plays that Trent just hasn't shown us he can make. Yes Trent is good, he can truck stick a DB, and constantly gets an extra yard than he should, but he hasn't made AP plays. And his stats are still very, very average.

Q: Why didn't we give him more time?

A: Ahhh didn't Colt McCoy coin that question? Running backs don't get more time. A lot of people thought Trent had too many touches in college. Are we just supposed to feed him 350 plus touches a year until he shows us something? Running backs need to produce, or at least show you something as rookies, or they are sent packing. He's a 22 year old with a 25 year old's amount of touches. Running back's life expectancy in the NFL is crazy small. He needed to produce, and he didn't. Waiting makes no sense.

Q: We drafted him at three last year and we're gonna get a pick in the 20's!?

A: First off, the people who drafted him at 3 are no longer with the Browns. This FO had nothing to do with the past drafts, and have been publicly criticizing them ever since they came along. Secondly, take a basic economics class. Just cause he was drafted at 3, doesn't mean crap to his current value. To get a 1st round pick for a guy who has been out preformed by Hillis (a guy released then traded around), and Jerome Harrison (a guy traded for Mike Bell), is pretty good. As many national analysts said, there isn't one NFL RB other than AP they would've traded a 1st for.

Q: Why are we giving up on the season so early?/ Tanking already?

A: First off, I wouldn't say we're giving up on the season. I mean we're already 0-2. But, we could have easily been 2-0 or at least 1-1 with even an average offense. What exactly did Trent do to help us win those games? Nothing. So in my opinion, the Browns will be no better or no worse than they already have been. As for tanking, which I think we all realize they're doing, I support it 100%. How can the Colts do it and get praised? What about the Cavs who did it for the last 3 years? (btw, Dan Gilbert, I love you man, but don't ever lecture us on Twitter about tanking) The Browns are clearly lining up to get a franchise QB, plus more picks to help our offense. For a team that has fluctuated between 4 and 7 wins for the past decade, you'd think fans wouldn't mind tanking for a QB.

If we don't trade up for a QB that leaves us with most likely a top 5 pick with a deep QB class. Plus a pick in the 20's (WR/RB), a pick in the early 2nd round (RB/WR), and two more in the 3rd and 4th. With the defense the Browns currently have, we are just one good draft and a QB away from competing. Pitt and Baltimore are only getting older and they are clearly not that good. Cincy is the best in the AFC North, but I think we're only a decent offense away from competing with them.

The facts are there. You just have to get passed the preconceived notion that Trent is already/guaranteed to be great. Facts are he's been average at best so far.

There you have it.

Boom. Trade raped.