He is just frankly not good enough as a ball carrying RB to be given 250 carries.
That's quite a claim and I can't put any stock in it. He was a 2nd round pick who got injured at the wrong times. Have you looked at the Goal line stats that suggest Ridley was far and away the least effective goal line back? Do you buy it? I don't. Sample size is so small and no situation is 100% alike. I'd much rather have Ridley running the ball at the GL than Woodhead. But if I used simple stats, as you seem to be, it'd suggest Ridley is a lesser option between the 2.
I would be all over him, due to his offense and receiving skills, if he just one of the most basic important things of a RB -- get yards when they hand you the ball. The reason Ridley is getting 290 carries is because he's just much better than him at it; nothing more, nothing less. Frankly, he was the 4th best RB on the team at rushing the ball last year, and merely moving one piece out of them way doesn't make me believe that he can suddenly rush the ball well.
I assume you are using Bolden's YPC, and suggesting he was better than Vereen? Bolden's inflated YPC comes from a game in which the team ran all over Buffalo. Take out that
ONE game and his YPC is 3.42. Context and sample size.