FOXBORO — Jordan Richards is ready to step up and contribute more in his second season with the Patriots.
With a year under his belt, Richards feels more comfortable with the system and has the experience he needs to take the next step.
"You feel more confident because you know how to prepare better than you did going into it as a rookie," Richards said.
Richards got to work with the Patriots a bit later than many of his fellow rookies because he was finishing up school at Stanford.
During training camp, Richards has been tasked with covering tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett.
"You want to play against the best," said Richards. "We will face a whole lot of good tight ends this year that don't play for the Patriots, so playing against those guys, we're getting better and they're getting better."
Richards, a second round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, appeared in 14 games as a rookie, but didn't see much playing time behind Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, and Duron Harmon. That should change this season as he gains more confidence and feels more comfortable in the system.
"He had a really good offseason and he’s been on the field," said coach Bill Belichick. "He doesn’t miss anything, he’s a durable kid that’s smart, really pays attention, just gets better every day. I think he’s taken some good steps. Again, it’s a very competitive position there, but he’s definitely gotten better."
Bridgette Proulx is an intern with the FOX25 Sports Department. Follow Bridgette on Twitter @BridgetteProulx