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Oakland Raiders 2015 Training Camp Profile: RB Trent Richardson

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Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It came as a bit of a shock when the Oakland Raiders signed running back Trent Richardson this offseason. The assumption was they were ready to hand Latavius Murray the reins, but the addition of Richardson meant they weren’t going to avoid a competition.

Still, it seems a bit naïve to think Richardson really stands a chance of bumping Murray from the starting job. The former first-round pick has struggled mightily since coming into the NFL in 2012, being trading from the Cleveland Browns to the Indianapolis Colts after only one season. Two seasons in Indy only further proved he didn’t deserve to be a No. 3 overall pick.

Essentially, the Raiders have given Richardson his final shot at proving he can be an NFL-caliber running back. And training camp may be his only legitimate shot at erasing the “bust” label from his forehead.

In order to do so, Richardson needs to come out firing on all cylinders during training camp. With Murray ahead of him on the depth chart and third-stringer Roy Helu Jr. offering more third-down value, Richardson must prove he’s deserving of early-down snaps. Unfortunately, his lack of speed and vision makes him a clear-cut underdog considering Murray’s exciting abilities.

No matter how slim, the possibilities are there for Richardson to earn some touches during training camp. However, it’s going to take an all-world effort in order to convince the Raiders coaching staff to cut into Murray’s workload.

Will Richardson finally prove he can be more than a disappointment? I wouldn’t get my hopes up, but crazier things have happened – especially when it comes to the Silver and Black.

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