The New England Patriots have quite a few big-name players scheduled to hit free agency, but one of the overlooked players is Cordarrelle Patterson. While he’s not a complete player on offense, Patterson is one of the most dangerous weapons in the league when he gets the ball in space. A jack of all trades, Patterson can be a dangerous tool in an offense while providing top-notch work on special teams.
2019 NFL Free Agency Master List
2019 Free Agency Profile: Cordarrelle Patterson
Patterson spent the 2018 season with the New England Patriots after being acquired from the Oakland Raiders via trade. Patterson played 15 games in New England, recording 21 receptions for 247 yards and three touchdowns. Additionally, thanks to series of injuries, Patterson also saw some time at the running back position. He performed surprisingly well, recording 228 yards and a touchdown on 42 carries. He wasn’t New England’s first option in the passing game, but he was a good complementary piece.
Of course, you can’t mention Patterson without talking about his work in special teams. Patterson is one of the best kick returners of his time and put together another great season during 2018. The six-year NFL veteran recorded 23 kick returns for 663 yards and a touchdown, good for 28.8 yards per return. While he only has one career punt return, Patterson offers more than enough as a kick returner and on coverage units to make him a usable asset.
Possible Fits
Cordarrelle Patterson won’t be the first player signed off the street, but he should have a steady market. While he shouldn’t be the top weapon in any passing or rushing attack, Patterson possesses the game-breaking ability to score any time he gets the ball in space. Additionally, any team looking to upgrade their special teams depth would do themselves a favor by signing Patterson.
Right off the bat, the New England Patriots look like a key contender to bring Patterson back for another go. The Patriots liked him enough to trade draft capital for him, and he performed as well as could be expected. New England has one of the more creative schemes in the league and clearly showed a willingness to use Patterson in a wide variety of roles. Of New England’s four free agent wide receivers, Patterson is the most likely to remain in Foxboro.
Should Patterson leave New England, he could find a good home with the Los Angeles Rams. This may sound strange at first, as the Rams have one of the best receiver cores in football. However, putting a player like Patterson under a creative mind like Sean McVay would be borderline unfair for the rest of the league. Super Bowl LIII proved the Rams offense is stoppable and adding Patterson would only make a talented offense that much more dangerous.
Last Word on Cordarrelle Patterson in Free Agency
Cordarelle Patterson isn’t the top wide receiver on the open market. He’s not a true wide receiver and has a fairly limited route tree. However, he’s still capable of getting separation and is one of the league’s most dangerous players in the open field. On top of that, he’s an explosive punt returner who can also serve as a gunner on the punt coverage team. Signing a player like Patterson is one of the smart under-the-radar moves that great franchises do on an annual basis.
If New England has its way, Patterson will spend the foreseeable future in Foxboro. Patterson was a perfect jack-of-all-trades in New England’s offense, serving as depth at running back and wide receiver. Josh McDaniels knows how to get the most out of Patterson and Bill Belichick values special teams more than just about anyone in the league.
If Patterson leaves New England, the Los Angeles Rams could probably get him for cheap money. Patterson would only add to the Rams riches and should be a dangerous chess piece under head coach Sean McVay. The Rams could look to improve their offense after their subpar Super Bowl performance, and Patterson would be a cost-effective way to do that.
2019 NFL Free Agency Master List
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