Seahawks’ Paul Richardson still fast after recovery from hamstring injury
Jul 31, 2016, 1:33 PM
Paul Richardson explained how his hamstring injury was harder to recover from previous knee injuries. (AP)
(AP)
RENTON – Paul Richardson wasn’t worried about getting off on the right foot at Seahawks training camp.
And truthfully, he wasn’t concerned about his left knee, which he has injured twice in his football career.
It was coming back from a season-ending injury to his right hamstring which turned out to be more difficult for him than rehabilitating from the torn knee ligament he suffered first in college and again in his rookie season with the Seahawks.
“The hamstring was probably the hardest one because I’m a speed guy,” Richardson said. “The ACL is not necessarily your speed, it’s more or less a freak accident. But the hamstring, most guys that run fast they get nervous to run fast like that again. I had to get over that hump.”
And he has done just that judging by Saturday’s practice where Richardson stood out among a deep group of receivers.
Richardson was a second-round draft pick who is now in his third year. He was emerging as a consistent receiving threat in his rookie season before suffering the knee injury in Seattle’s playoff victory over Carolina in January 2015. He was still recovering from that injury when last season began, but was activated for Game 9 against Arizona.
He caught one pass for 40 yards, but suffered a hamstring injury on that play which kept him out the rest of the season.
“The team did what was best for me,” Richardson said. “But I’ve been full go since then, feeling good.”
That was evident as training camp opened, and while there’s not much doubt about the top of Seattle’s depth chart at receiver with Doug Baldwin, Tyler Lockett and Jermaine Kearse, there’s going to be a lot of competition to round out the roster. That’s where Richardson is battling with former UW Huskies Kasen Williams and Kevin Smith not to mention Douglas McNeil and Kenny Lawler, the team’s seventh-round pick this season.
“The last few spots on the receiver (depth chart) is really going to be exciting,” coach Pete Carroll said, “because we’ve got some really good guys there and some guys to come challenge. Paul looked fantastic today. He’s back in action with us.”
