Green Bay Packers: Odds of remaining free agents returning
By Kenn Korb
Sean Richardson
Of any of the players remaining, Richardson might actually have the best chance of returning to the team.
When Richardson plays, he has proven to be a good third option at safety, able to be a key piece in certain defensive packages (including big nickel packages; those use three safeties).
The key word there is when; Richardson has a lengthy injury history, and those injuries are not the kind people can just expect to simply come back from. The injury in question is one to his neck, one which required surgery at a spot that is especially dangerous to have damaged. Similar injuries like this to Jermichael Finley and Nick Collins eventually ended their careers, with the Packers’ doctors being unwilling to clear either for a return to the field.
This looks even worse considering Richardson has already had to return from this kind of injury once before. I was extremely surprised as it is that he managed to come back the first time; a second seems even more unlikely.
If somehow he does manage to recover well enough to get the go-ahead by the Packers’ doctors (in terms of his health: a report in early April said he can return to non-contact drills, and could be ready for full contact by sometime in June), he could still be a decent contributor.
The roster could also still use him; there are currently four options at safety under contract; Morgan Burnett and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix are set as a high-quality starting duo, Micah Hyde can take snaps between safety and cornerback, and Chris Banjo could be used in a bigger role but so far has almost exclusively been used on special teams. The team also didn’t add anything here through the draft nor undrafted free agency as of yet either, so a spot could be there for the taking.
Should his health allow for him to participate, Richardson could be tabbed as someone the team wants around in 2016. They obviously like what he brings to the table (remember, they matched a $2.5+ million offer the Raiders placed on him as a restricted free agent last season), so if health doesn’t stand in the way, it does seem he’ll be given a shot to make the roster again.
With the other guys already on the roster, those odds aren’t high (most snaps will go to Burnett and Clinton-Dix, Hyde will move in there at times, and Banjo may be in line for a bigger role beyond special teams) but the option does appear to be open.
Next: Breaking down every Packers 2016 draft pick
Odds of return: 20% (40% if his health ends up being a non-issue)