NFL Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Packers & Vikings

 

Colts

• Jim Trotter of ESPN spoke with some coaches on the Colts’ staff last week who mentioned that they believe Trent Richardson can be a three-down running back for them this season.

Richardson is reportedly relying more on his instincts this season rather than over-thinking things.

Behind Richardson, the Colts have Ahmad Bradshaw and Vick Ballard who happen to be returning from surgeries.

Richardson, 23, is entering the second year of his four-year, $20.489 million contract. He’s coming off of a very disappointing season in which he ran for just 563 yards on 188 carries (3 YPC) and four total touchdowns over the course of 16 games. It’s worth mentioning that he did contribute another 316 yard receiving on 35 receptions.

Jaguars

• Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times Union offers his take on what the Jaguars final 53-man roster could look like.

There aren’t many surprises among the players O’Halloran expects to be released before the start of the 2014 season, but he does have Ricky Stanzi beating out undrafted rookie QB Stephen Morris for the third-string quarterback job.

Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com recently mentioned that Stanzi has looked better than rookies Blake Bortles and Morris and would likely be the Jaguars’ No. 2 quarterback if the season started today.

Packers

• The Packers would like to reduce RB Eddie Lacy‘s workload, to some degree, in order to keep him as healthy as possible.

This means James Starks and DuJuan Harris are likely be mixed into the team’s offense this season to some degree.

“We haven’t sat down and figured out an ‘X’ number of carries for Eddie,” OC Tom Clements said, via the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “Eddie was a workhorse for us last year, and then when James got in there last year, he ran very hard. That was a great one-two punch. Now you factor in DuJuan and the other guys, it’s going to be interesting to see how that plays out.”

The Packers unfortunately waived 2013 fourth-round pick RB Johnathan Franklin after it became clear that his neck injury was career-threatening.

Starks looked like a great compliment to Lacy last season, and Harris has shown some flashes of being a decent change-of-pace back for the Packers as well. Green Bay also have Michael Hill, LaDarius Perkins, and Rajion Neal on their roster as well.

Vikings

• Vikings OC Norv Turner told reports that he has been impressed with first-round QB Teddy Bridgewater and his “outstanding” deep ball.

“One of the things that has been the most impressive to me is, I knew he’d be very accurate, I knew he’d make great decisions, quick decisions,” Turner said last week, via Fox Sports North, “but he’s been outstanding throwing the ball deep, which some people thought that was going to be an issue.

Bridgewater received a lot of criticism during the draft process and his arm strength was consider to be a concern by a number of draft experts, so it’s good to hear that the coaching staff doesn’t see this as an issue for him moving forward.

“I think in the six or eight weeks we’ve had him on the field, I think he’s been put in a position where he’s had to make most of the throws he would have to make and I think he can make all the throws he needs to make.”

There has been some speculation that Bridgewater’s impressive offseason workouts could leave him in position to challenge Matt Cassel for the starting job during the preseason.