Jerel Worthy and Sean Richardson are Back

For the first time this season, defensive lineman Jerel Worthy and safety Sean Richardson practiced.

The Green Bay Packers had stowed both players on the physically unable to perform list. On Wednesday, they came off. Now the Packers have three weeks to either activate them, put them on injured reserve or release them.

Worthy, a second-round pick last season, tore his ACL late in the 2012 campaign. Richardson, an undrafted free agent last season, has been dealing with a neck injury.

They join tackle Derek Sherrod as returnees from the PUP list. Sherrod was added to the active roster last week, but wasn’t activated against Philadelphia.

So what role might these guys have? Well, the outlook for Richardson looks better than that of Worthy.

Although they haven’t played well the past two weeks, the Packers have plenty of bodies on the defensive line. Last year, the Packers used Worthy as an inside rusher on passing downs, but 2012 fourth-round pick Mike Daniels and this year’s first-round pick Dantone Jones seem to have that role locked down.

Daniels has 4.5 sacks and Jones has three. All Jones’ sacks have come in the past two games.

Richardson has a better chance to get on the field because the Packers suck at safety. Although he’s been playing like shit, we know Morgan Burnett isn’t going anywhere.

The other safety position is the question mark. We know Jerron McMillian is awful. M.D. Jennings hasn’t been much better.

He was actually replaced by undrafted rookie Chris Banjo in Sunday’s game. Is Banjo the answer? We really don’t know.

But if he isn’t, then the door is wide open for Richardson, who’s big and physical. One of the Packers safeties has to be able to tackle. If it isn’t Banjo — because it’s become obvious Jennings can’t cover or tackle — then maybe it’s Richardson.