Trent Richardson and Cleveland Browns Reportedly Agree on Rookie Contract

Considering Trent Richardson was the highest draft pick yet to be signed, there was a lot of pressure for the Cleveland Browns to get a deal done with the running back, who was the No. 3 overall selection in April's NFL draft.

That appears to have finally come to fruition.

According to the Associated Press, the Browns and the former Alabama star came to terms on a four-year, $20.5 million contract, including a $13.3 million signing bonus.

The deal has yet to be announced by the Browns, but it appears to be all but official, as rookies are scheduled to appear at training camp on Tuesday.

The Browns traded up to No. 3 in the draft in order to select Richardson, who finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting this past season and was a key cog in the Crimson Tide's national championship-winning campaign.

Cleveland's backfield was ravaged by injuries last year, so it was incumbent upon the organization to get Richardson signed and ready for camp.

Richardson will most likely be an immediate starter in Cleveland, as former No. 1 back Peyton Hillis signed with the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason. That means Richardson will be counted on to be a workhorse for the offense and may very well be a top contender for Rookie of the Year honors.

However, another possible immediate contributor, quarterback Brandon Weeden, remains unsigned.

Weeden was the No. 22 pick in the first round and is in line to be Cleveland's opening-day starter under center. Even at 28 years of age, the signal-caller faces a steep learning curve and will need as much training camp action as he can get.

Regardless of who starts at quarterback, the Browns offense will probably live and die by Richardson. Cleveland has a solid defense that can keep it in games, so the Browns are going to grind things out and run a ball-control offense with Richardson receiving the bulk of the carries in all likelihood.

Running backs have such a short shelf life in the NFL that the Browns have to get as much as they possibly can out of Richardson from day one. Missing parts of training camp or the preseason, or even some of the regular season, would have been extremely damaging to Richardson's development and the Browns organization.

For the first time in a long time, things are looking up in Cleveland.

Richardson is going to spearhead the Browns' effort to go from the outhouse to the penthouse, so getting him signed, sealed and delivered is a huge step for the team.

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