Former Viking Fired on His Day Off – A Reunion Makes Sense
Once a highly-touted Minnesota Vikings draft pick, the Steelers just said “goodbye” to versatile playmaker Cordarrelle Patterson. The player broke the news himself.
Former Viking Fired on His Day Off – A Reunion Makes Sense
Monday, entering the second week of training camp, Steelers running back/wide receiver/kick returner Patterson posted on X, “Breaking news❗️❗️❗️Pittsburgh Steelers release old washed up cordarrelle patterson on his day off!!!”
Patterson is now looking for a new job.
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor noted, “By moving on from Patterson, the Steelers save $2.8 million in cap space. The team initially signed the veteran last offseason following a rule change to kickoffs to make the play more dynamic. Patterson, though, had just 11 kick returns for 240 yards in his lone season with the Steelers. That mark was his second-lowest season total after recording just 153 yards on seven returns in 2023.”
Patterson might have been the best kick returner of all time, having scored on nine such returns in his career.
“Limited by a midseason ankle injury, Patterson played in 13 games last season and picked up 135 yards on 32 carries,” Pryor added. “He also had 12 receptions on 14 targets for 80 yards and a touchdown. Patterson didn’t participate in the team’s offseason activities and didn’t practice in any of the team’s first four training camp practices this season.”
In his final season at the University of Tennessee, Patterson was a hybrid player, racking up 308 rushing yards and three touchdowns, as well as 778 receiving yards and five more scores, and two return touchdowns.
That promise was enough for Rick Spielman to pull the trigger in the first round of the 2013 draft after trading up from the second round. He never became the offensive weapon the Vikings hoped he could be, but he might just be a Hall of Fame returner, having tabulated the most kick return touchdowns in NFL history as well as (tied for) the longest play ever (109 yards). Teams avoided kicking his way at all costs, even if that meant a short field.
On offense, he has caught 310 passes for nearly 2,875 yards, and he added another 2,646 yards on the ground. From scrimmage, he has found the endzone 39 times.
Bill Belichick’s Patriots began using him as a running back in 2018, which likely extended his career. His most productive seasons came in Atlanta in 2021 and 2022, when he had nearly 2,000 yards from scrimmage in those two seasons combined. Last year, the Steelers signed him, reuniting him with his Atlanta coach, Arthur Smith, but they couldn’t replicate the magic.
Patterson is now 34 years old and is coming off a season with only 215 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown. Still, the Vikings should give the seven-time All-Pro (four first-team) and four-time Pro Bowler a call, as he fits a job description perfectly.
The Vikings don’t have a clear-cut RB3 behind top guys Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, and depth is crucial at that spot. His role would be to rush the ball 3-5 times a game and catch a pass or two. In case of injury, he could step up the depth chart and get more touches.
Furthermore, the Vikings don’t have a kick returner. Perhaps the legendary return man has some juice left.
Patterson is an aging player and should no longer be expected to be a huge difference-maker. Still, he is a big-bodied runner with good hands, having played receiver in the past, and might contribute on special teams. Even if he isn’t the explosive returner anymore, he’d still be a better option at running back than the alternatives on the roster.
All of that sounds a lot like a decent RB3. Considering his salary demands won’t break the bank, why not give him a call?
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.