On Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts signed former New York Jets and former New England Patriots running back, Stevan Ridley according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.
Ridley, 27, will join a crowded backfield with the Colts that now carries six running backs on the current roster. That number could be cut in half by Tuesday when teams must cut 75 players. Along with Ridley in the backfield, the Colts also carry veteran running back Frank Gore which gives the team two veteran running backs who can pound the football. The other backs who fill out the depth chart include Robert Turbin, Josh Ferguson and Jordan Todman.
Indianapolis Colts Sign Veteran Stevan Ridley
The 2016 NFL season is less than two weeks away, and many of the teams are scrambling in order to make last minute adjustments to their rosters. As more teams are forced to make difficult cuts in order to get down to the 53-man roster, a lot more talent will become available for any team looking to upgrade their depth chart.
Depending on what unfolds in the coming weeks prior to Week 1 of the regular season, it won’t be a surprise if we begin to hear some trade rumblings. Just recently teams were inquiring about wide receiver Josh Gordon of the Cleveland Browns. But the Browns have put an extremely high price-tag on Gordon, and why not, they had to of loved what they saw from him Friday night when he caught two passes for 87 yards against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. One of those catches was a 43-yard touchdown pass from Robert Griffin III, who was acquired by the Browns in the off-season.
Apparently the starting price for the Browns’ Josh Gordon is “a second-round pick and then some,” per Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network (via NFL.com‘s Kevin Patra).
Career
Ridley was drafted by the New England Patriots in the third-round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of LSU. In his second season, the former LSU product was playing like a star. Ridley rushed for 1,263 yards, along with 12 touchdowns. Unfortunately for Ridley, he saw his production take a dip in 2013, only rushing for 773 yards to only seven touchdowns, but then in 2014 he really struggled. Ridley only managed 340 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Coupled with nagging injuries and lack of productivity, he was finally cut by New England.
The running back who once showed so much promise, spent the 2015 season with the New York Jets where he only started one game, and barely saw the field. He would finish the season without scoring a touchdown and rushing for only 90 yards. Needless to say, the Jets didn’t bring him back.
During Ridley’s first five seasons in the NFL, he’s rushed for 2,907 yards with 22 touchdowns. For the Colts, it doesn’t hurt evaluating the 27-year-old running back to see what he has left.
PITTSBURGH, PA – AUGUST 12: Stevan Ridley #39 of the Detroit Lions in action during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on August 12, 2016 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
