CLEVELAND -- The Browns are playing it safe with Trent Richardson. Clevelands star running back will not play in the clubs exhibition opener on Thursday night against the St. Louis Rams as he continues to recover from an injured right shin. Richardson was accidentally kicked in the shin -- the same one he hurt during spring practice -- last week, and the Browns wont risk him hurting it further. "Were going to be smart," coach Rob Chudzinski said following Wednesdays practice, which was moved indoors because of heavy rain. Chudzinski said Richardson could have played if it was a regular-season game, but the Browns are being careful with the former first-round pick, who has had a history with injuries and played most of last season with two broken ribs. Chudzinski said he is not concerned about Richardsons durability. "Its the preseason, we have a plan of working him and making sure that he gets reps as needed out here in practice and we build him to be ready for the beginning of the season," Chudzinski said. Richardson did not play in any of Clevelands exhibition games a year ago, when he was recovering from minor knee surgery. He recently said one of his goals was to play in all four of Clevelands preseason games. Richardson took part in some drills on Wednesday, but was not on the field during team activities. Chudzinski said Richardson understands the reasons for the Browns keeping him out. Richardson rushed for 950 yards and caught 51 passes for 367 yards as a rookie. He played in 15 games, missing only the finale at Pittsburgh with an ankle injury sustained the previous week at Denver. Chudzinski said Dion Lewis will start in Richardsons spot. Also, starting strong safety T.J. Ward (hamstring) and starting guard Shawn Lauvao (ankle) will also sit out against the Rams. The Browns plan to play their starters for about one quarter, meaning quarterback Brandon Weeden will only have a few series to impress Clevelands coaching staff and maybe silence some critics who dont think hes Clevelands long-term answer at QB. Weeden has showed progress during training camp, and seems more comfortable with the Browns new offence. His goals against the Rams are pretty simple. "Just string together consecutive good plays, string together couple good drives, just get the feel of the game," he said. "Its a little different than practice, obviously theres going to be some emotions, theres going to be a lot more adrenaline and stuff like that. So I think its just put together a couple good drives and completions and just manage the game and do the things I need to do to move the ball up the field." The Browns defence has had the upper hand during recent practices, but Weeden feels Clevelands offence is starting to gel. "Were making strides," he said. "We have a long ways to go. I dont think were where we need to be. I think if you ask anybody, theyd all say the same thing, weve got a long ways to go. I still feel good about the guys we have. Im excited about the potential we have offensively. Once you get in the game and you get those live reps you can get a better understanding, because its tough when you go against your defence all the time and they have a pretty good idea what youre doing and you know what theyre doing. "So well see, but weve got some work to do." On defence, the Browns will get their first chance to unleash an aggressive scheme that has been installed by new co-ordinator Ray Horton, who spent the past two seasons in Arizona. Cornerback Joe Haden said the Browns are eager to go against another team, if for no other reason than to break up the monotony of training camp. "We just want to be able to hit somebody else besides our own teammates," Haden said. "Honestly, see how the scheme works. See how when were in practice and were blitzing against our offence and sometimes we get to the quarterback and have to back off. How it looks when you really just get to go all out and if the quarterback is really going to have to release it or if the offensive line is going to pick up the blocks. "Its going to be really good to see in a game-time situation how the blitzes really work." ---- NOTES: Rookie CB Leon McFadden (groin) and RB Montario Hardesty (hamstring) will also sit out the preseason opener. McFadden missed his first practice on Wednesday. ... Johnson Bademosi will start for Ward and Jason Pinkston will replace Lauvao at right guard. ... The Browns will honour Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown at their nationally televised Oct. 3 game against Buffalo. The team did not provide any specifics about the tribute but said "the event figures to be among the most singular memories in the teams rich timeline." Bill Walton Jersey . Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee? 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Where there is smoke, there is or perhaps has been a little fire. Or, in other words, the two teams would appear to have at least spoken. And spoken is defined as one calling the other to inquire, no more, no less. This story appears in ESPN The Magazines October 17 Great Debates Issue. Subscribe today!LOOKING FOR A Stanley Cup winner? Start with the regular season. For that we turn to Hockey Prospectus VUKOTA, a system that uses past performance to project a teams goal differential. Barry Melrose and I faced off on the predictions -- and give our Cup picks.EASTERN CONFERENCEAtlantic DivisionMATTHEW COLLER:?The Lightning would have seen a dip in their ranking if they had lost superstar Steven Stamkos; instead they bring back all the key players on a roster that was one win from the Stanley Cup finals. This is their time to finally break through. The Panthers should also improve their possession statistics and take some pressure off 2014 No. 1 pick Aaron Ekblad. But VUKOTA throws one big curveball in the Atlantic: Ottawa. Most see the Senators at the back of the field, but the numbers hint that they could be a breakout team with the addition of center Derick Brassard and key young players such as Curtis Lazar and Cody Ceci starting to come into their prime.BARRY MELROSE:?I just think Tampa Bay is great. If Steven Stamkos stays healthy, youve also got Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman -- and the defense is great. The Lightning will score goals. And theyve got two strong goaltenders. This is the year theyll win it.Metropolitan DivisionMATTHEW COLLER: Alex Ovechkin still wants to raise the Cup, and Sidney Crosby just won his second title. The consensus on Columbus is that itll be at the bottom of the league, but the projections tell another story. If the Jackets get the Vezina Trophy version of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, we could see them in the mix for a playoff spot. The Devils got much-deserved praise for making the best trade of the offseason -- dealing young defenseman Adam Larsson to the Oilers for LW Taylor Hall, the 2010 No.?1. But they didnt plug the hole left on D or improve the rest of the roster enough to seriously contend.BARRY MELROSE: Washington has a high talent level. In the regular season, the Caps have always been very, very strongg.dddddddddddd I dont see any reason for them to fall off. Their star players are still at that age where theyre in their prime.WESTERN CONFERENCECentral DivisionMATTHEW COLLER:?Winnipeg has a great chance to go from last in the Central to one of the best teams in the league. Not only will the goaltending be improved with Connor Hellebuyck getting a a chance to step up, but the Jets also have an outstanding group of rising players and prospects wholl make an impact, including No.?2 pick Patrik Laine, a right winger. Its possible the Predators would have been No. 1 with better goaltending. The projections leave little doubt: The Central is the most competitive division in the league, with only three points separating top from bottom.BARRY MELROSE: I like Winnipeg. Ive been raving about the Jets players. Mark Scheifele is awesome; this Patrik Laine kid is fantastic. Youve got Blake Wheeler. The defense is solid with Dustin Byfuglien. Connor Hellebuyck looks like hes a pretty good goaltender.Pacific DivisionMATTHEW COLLER:?The Sharks are still the best team, barring a major drop-off from veterans like Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton. After them, its a toss-up. Anaheim looks vulnerable due to a combination of aging stars and questionable forward depth. Edmonton is a team on the rise but maybe a season away, as Connor McDavid could become the best player in the league. A coaching change should help Calgary maximize its young skill players talents. The Coyotes probably arent ready to run with the best teams in the division, but the numbers hint that they could be in the mix. As for Vancouver? The Canucks are in desperate need of a rebuild.BARRY MELROSE: Id put the Ducks ahead of Calgary. Corey Perry is fantastic. Sami Vatanen has been very good. Ryan Kesler is still a pretty good player. Are they getting older? Yeah. But I still think they are one of the top three teams in that division.*Projected wild card berth ' ' '