Jordan Richards

[NG Pats Fan]

Reading about Richards pre draft, he was an exceptional student of the game. A team leader who gave 110% every play, every practice. However he lacked physical gifts...particularly top end speed and recovery speed. Also lacked range, had below average instincts, and struggled in man coverage. He was projected as a 5-7th round safety.


It's been 2 years since he was drafted in he second round. What's your opinion and evaluation of him so far? Do you believe he has a future with this patriots team? So far he has been buried on the team depth chart, and has been a healthy scratch quite a few times. I haven't seen him make much of an impact on defense yet or special teams for that matter. In fairness to Richards, guys like Mccourty Chung and Harmon are exceptional players.

 

[supafly]

Who?

 

[RobertWeathers]

He may want to have Century 21 on speed dial

 

[BobDigital]

I think it is hard to say. He is behind 3 very good players. And I think they have combined missed MAYBE 1 game since he has been here. Why would he ever play?

Being a safety isn't like a DE where if you have enough talent you can force yourself into a rotation. It is reasonable to ask a DB to play 95% of the snaps if he is healthy and a starter.

The fact they paid Harmon what they did may speak to Richard or it may speak to what they think of Harmon. In the few snaps I have seen of him he has been okay. I remember still that play when he picked a guy up who made a pass and pushed him out of bounds in the air (more like tossed him). That struck me as a super heads up play. While it is safe to say he is not worth the pick they used on him IDK why people are in a rush to replace him. Whoever we replace him with will likely sit behind Harmon, Chung and McCourty as well. I saw a little bit of him and I think he is fine as the 4th guy in emergency situations.

I mean what is the plan to improve upon him? If you find it in an UDFA sure but for now I am not looking to spend much if any draft or salary capital on it.

 

[luuked]

n fairness to Richards, guys like Mccourty Chung and Harmon are exceptional players.

Even calling DMac an exceptional player will trigger some of the yokels here. So can't wait to see their reactions to you calling Chung and Harmon exceptional.


In terms of Richards I don't get why people get so hung up on him. Draft picks don't work out no matter where they are drafted. This one seems like it didn't.

 

[farn]

Even felt Tavon was more of a contributor. BB makes good calls on draft picks more often than not, but it is difficult to be perfect. Starting to think Richards is never going to be a solid contributor.

 

[varjao]

Bust

 

[stinkypete]

Probably a bust, but it's tough to tell. There has been plenty of depth in the DB rotation the past couple of years, so finding Richards a role means he has to outplay the 7 or so guys ahead of him, and there are not too many packages that play 7 DBs (what would you call that, a half-dollar D). I guess there is the chance that he is developing within the system and will be ready to replace Chung in a year or two, but I agree that the chance is relatively slim.

Who knows, Chung lost his job in year 4 and returned as a high level player, maybe SS is a tough position to grow into in this system.

 

[Jackson 2]

Even calling DMac an exceptional player will trigger some of the yokels here. So can't wait to see their reactions to you calling Chung and Harmon exceptional.


In terms of Richards I don't get why people get so hung up on him. Draft picks don't work out no matter where they are drafted. This one seems like it didn't.

My thought exactly. For some reason, Richards being chosen seemingly higher than his ability/performance would warrant strikes a nerve with some. Seems evident Richards was picked too high, but in the larger picture,...

 

[convertedpatsfan]

We have a lot of good players at the position and a lot of depth so it's hard to say. Some guys who get drafted have played way more than Richards, but suck. They just happen to have nobody in front of them.

If Richards had emerged, this thread would be about Chung being a waste or Harmon being a waste. There's only so many snaps to go around.

Tavon Wilson also didn't get to do much here, but left New England and became an instant starter for a play-off team in Detroit.

I don't think either Wilson or Richards are great players, but I think the overall level of safeties in the NFL is pretty bad, and we have a surplus of good players which is a good problem to have.

 

[RobertWeathers]

My thought exactly. For some reason, Richards being chosen seemingly higher than his ability/performance would warrant strikes a nerve with some. Seems evident Richards was picked too high, but in the larger picture,...

What is the larger picture? He's a 2nd Rd pick who is riding the pine and has been a part timer on STs. The belief is if he doesn't raise his game in Y3 he is gone in favor of a better player.

We all understand the draft is one big crapshoot but in theory 2nd picks should play fairly regularly and he is not.

On the other hand the ave NFL team experiences marginal success drafting players in the 2nd rd

 

[Kontradiction]

As many of us said, his biggest question marks, by far, were athletic. Even in college, it almost looked like he had 10 lb. weights on his ankles in pursuit from time to time. My theory at this point is Belichick mainly keeps him on the squad for ST and as an example for other players on how they need to conduct themselves in practice and in the film room.

 

[jah]

His level of production would have been fine for a 5th rounder.

 

[TinhWoodhead]

Maybe he should change his first name to Sherman..

 

[Jackson 2]

What is the larger picture? He's a 2nd Rd pick who is riding the pine and has been a part timer on STs. The belief is if he doesn't raise his game in Y3 he is gone in favor of a better player.

We all understand the draft is one big crapshoot but in theory 2nd picks should play fairly regularly and he is not.

On the other hand the ave NFL team experiences marginal success drafting players in the 2nd rd

To answer your question, the larger picture, I suppose, differs from person to person. The larger picture, to me, is that the Patriots have won 2 of the last three SBs and were within a PAT of possibly/likely going to a third. Mistakes have been made in the draft, but, by and large, the Patriots' selection of college players has been more than satisfactory to me. I understand if that selection has been unsatisfactory to some, but my post was simply a statement of my opinion and I understand the legitimacy of alternate opinions.

 

[Brick27]

Maybe he should change his first name to Sherman..

 

[Sicilian]

My theory is that Patriots have a philosophy in the 2nd and 3rd round, which states their picks there are going to be one of two categories:

A) Hyper talented players that dropped due to injury concerns or off the field issues. Thus if they can get past those things, they've stolen a first round talent. Examples (for better or worse), would be Gronk, Vollmer, and Dowling.

B) Players who they feel can definitely contribute on ST, and whatever they get on regular offense/defense is gravy. Examples: Wilson and Richards.

Of course there are exceptions if a player they actually really like is a surprise drop, or ones like Ron Brace which seemed to be Vince insurance in case the contract didn't work out, but in general this seems to fit their picks there.

 

[PatriotReign]

I hope Dave Jones the safety from Richmond bumps him right off the roster.

 

[PatsFan2]

The only way Jordan "Bust" I mean Richards make this 2017 Stacked Squad is "IF" he plays Matthew Slater like on ST's. Richards doesn't offer anything else we can't get from a UDFA or PS Player. He's going to have to earn his keep this time around I am not betting on him.

 

[shmessy]

His level of production would have been fine for a 5th rounder.

You're too kind.

UDFA.