BOSTON (CBS) — The Patriots reunion for Jordan Richards did not last long.
The special teamer was released on Tuesday, after the team signed Justin Bethel. ESPN’s Field Yates reported the news.
The Patriots are releasing DB/special teamer Jordan Richards, per league source.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) October 22, 2019
Bethel, 29, was a sixth-round pick in 2012 by the Cardinals, for whom he played six seasons. He’s made three Pro Bowls and has earned two First Team All-Pro spots as a special teams player. He was with the Ravens this year before getting released this week.
Source: The #Patriots are signing stellar special teamer Justin Bethel. He was recently released by the #Ravens.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 22, 2019
Belichick moved quickly to scoop up Bethel, but that meant cutting ties with Richards, whom he re-acquired earlier this month. Originally a second-round pick out of Stanford by Belichick in 2015, Richards spent three seasons with the Patriots. He’s mostly remembered for his inauspicious performance in Super Bowl LII, when the Malcolm Butler benching forced him and Johnson Bademosi into action in a game where the Eagles scored 41 points.
Richards played in the Patriots’ most recent three games, taking 59 special teams snaps.
