Wide receiver and return specialist Cordarrelle Patterson will reportedly sign with the Oakland Raiders, according to Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Details of his new contract have yet to be disclosed. The former first-round pick from Tennessee in 2013 spent the first four years of his career with the Minnesota Vikings.
Cordarrelle Patterson will sign with the #Raiders, per a league source. #Vikings
— Matt Vensel (@mattvensel) March 14, 2017
Cordarrelle Patterson To Sign With Oakland Raiders
Patterson has had an up and down career so far in the NFL. His rookie season, he broke onto the scene with 469 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 45 catches along with three touchdowns and 158 yards on just 12 carries rushing the ball. He also added to kick return touchdowns and made his first Pro Bowl.
His next two season were disappointments. Although he scored two more return touchdowns, he amassed just 394 receiving yards, 132 rushing yards and just two offensive touchdowns over those two season, with almost all his production coming early in 2014. He was relegated to the bench and the dog-house of head coach Mike Zimmer due to inconsistent route running and sometimes questionable effort.
Last season, Patterson revived his career. He led the NFL in yards-per-return on kickoffs for the third time in his four seasons, scoring one return touchdown. He also found a niche as a gunner in punt coverage, making several key plays throughout the season. On offense, he may have had the best season of his career. Although he caught just two touchdowns, he caught a career-high 52 passes for 453 yards. He diversified his route tree (although he still focused on short screens and slants), and he caught 74.3% of passes intended for him, far better than either of his first two years. He even made a second career Pro-Bowl.
An established special teams weapon now coming into his own on offense, Patterson may be a top play maker for the team next season. His game breaking speed and agility make him a threat to score whenever he touches the ball.
