The Ottawa Redblacks added running back Trent Richardson to the team’s exclusive negotiation list in August, then dropped him a couple weeks later, per CFL sources.
The Alabama product rushed for 1,679 yards and 21 touchdowns for the Crimson Tide in 2012. After finishing third in the Heisman Trophy voting that season, behind Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck, Richardson ran for 96 yards and one touchdown to help Alabama win the BCS National Championship.
Following the title game victory, Richardson declared for the 2012 NFL Draft. That May, Cleveland traded up to select the five-foot-nine, 230-pound back No. 3 overall. He signed a fully guaranteed four-year $20.4-million deal that included a $13.3-million signing bonus.
As a rookie NFL running back, Richardson carried the ball 267 times for 950 yards (3.6 yards per carry average) and 11 touchdowns while adding 367 yards and one touchdown on 51 receptions.
Two games into the 2013 NFL season, Indianapolis traded a 2014 first-round pick for Richardson. The 25-year-old spent the rest of the 2013 season and entire 2014 campaign with the Colts. Richardson ran for 977 yards and six touchdowns and recorded 494 yards and one touchdown on 55 catches in 29 games with Indianapolis. In March 2015, Indy released the stout back.
Five days later Oakland signed Richardson, but the Raiders cut him near the end of training camp. He landed with Baltimore in April 2016, but Richardson was subsequently waived by the Ravens on August 2 and he’s currently a free agent.
CFL personnel men describe Richardson as a “banger” type of runner. He would likely have to trim some weight in order to be most effective on the bigger Canadian field.
