Report: Browns RB Trent Richardson Expected to Play in Week 1

In an interview with SportsTime Ohio on Wednesday, Cleveland Browns team president Mike Holmgren stated that RB Trent Richardson is on schedule in his rehab after having arthroscopic knee surgery a couple of weeks ago. Holmgren stated that the team's third overall pick would start running in a swimming pool this week, and that they anticipate him being able to do some things on the field next week. When asked about his chances of playing in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, Holmgren said, "If it goes according to schedule and there are no setbacks, there is a chance — there's a chance — he could be ready to play in the first game."

While Holmgren was a little vague on confirming if Richardson would be able to play in Week 1, ESPN Insider Adam Schefter had a more assuring report on his status, including details on how many reps he might be limited to:

Cleveland Browns first-round pick Trent Richardson is expected to play in the team's regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, a team source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. The Browns are likely to limit Richardson's workload until he has more time to heal from his most recent knee surgery, the source told Schefter.

If Richardson's workload is limited during the first week of the season, they would be more than ready to hand some responsibility over to RB Montario Hardesty and RB Brandon Jackson. Hardesty started a few games in 2011, and has been getting most of the first-team reps while Richardson has been sidelined. He has also been having his best camp yet in his third season as a pro. Jackson was formerly a starter with the Packers and could handle more of the third-down responsibilities.