A familiar face is returning to the New England Patriots.
The Patriots are signing safety Jordan Richards, according to a report Wednesday morning from ESPN’s Field Yates.
Richards, who has been a free agent since the Oakland Raiders released him during final roster cuts this summer, spent his first three seasons in New England after being drafted in the second round in 2015. Lacking the speed and fluidity of a defensive back and the size of a linebacker, he struggled in both roles for the Patriots and is considered one of the more prominent draft busts of the Bill Belichick era.
Given the depth the Patriots have in the secondary, Richards likely will be used primarily in the kicking game. He led New England in special teams snaps played in 2017, his final season with the team.
Richards started 12 games for the Atlanta Falcons in 2018 after the Patriots traded him for a seventh-round draft pick at the conclusion of the 2018 preseason. The 26-year-old joins Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Duron Harmon hybrid corner/safety Jonathan Jones and special teamer Nate Ebner on New England’s depth chart at safety.
The Patriots had one open spot on their 53-man roster after releasing offensive lineman Caleb Benenoch on Tuesday. They’ll need to make an additional roster move in order to activate tight end Ben Watson for Sunday’s matchup for the Washington Redskins.
