Old Fan Favorite Seems Open to Idea of Rejoining Vikings

Old Fan Favorite Seems Open to Idea of Rejoining Vikings
Cordarrelle Patterson

The Minnesota Vikings drafted wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson in the 1st Round of the 2013 NFL Draft, an explosive event for the franchise as it selected three men in Round 1.

Except Patterson wasn’t really a wide receiver, so the aftermath of his addition to the Vikings roster was muted. The man was a phenomenal special teams player – retuning kicks left and right for touchdowns – but he never busted out as a true-blue WR1 as his draft stock would suggest.

Cordarrelle Patterson
Image courtesy of Vikings.com

Patterson went on to join the Raiders, Patriots, Bears, and Falcons after his final 2016 campaign in Minnesota. Starting in New England, Patterson embraced a hybrid role, playing some running back while still returning kicks like a madman and catching passes here and there.

But this season, Patterson emerged as a full-time RB1 with the Atlanta Falcons, an odd and brilliant career renaissance for the soon-to-be 31-year-old. He tallied 1,166 yards from scrimmage and a beastly 11 touchdowns for a WR-turned-RB.

And now that man seems open to the idea of a Vikings reunion. Patterson tweeted this on Thursday.

Predictably, Vikings fans seized on the idea of Patterson rejoining the Kevin O’Connell-led organization, and Patterson engaged like a man who was interested. He did the proverbial “liking tweets” tactic, inferring a reunion with Minnesota wasn’t impossible.

Obviously, the Vikings employ two running backs already with Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison. Cook earns the big bucks while Mattison has one year left on his rookie contract. If the current roster stays reasonably intact, Minnesota does not need a running back.

However, adding Patterson in a special teams capacity or Deebo Samuel-like role within O’Connell’s offense is intriguing. Because Patterson had a terrific season, it is unclear how much money the 30-something running back will command in free agency. But there’s a role for him somewhere – especially because teams now know how dynamic he plays as a rusher.

Vikings fans did this last year, too. Patterson hadn’t signed anywhere early in free agency, leaving Patterson to flirt with a Vikings reunion.

Of course, it didn’t pan out.

However, Patterson never outrightly objects to the idea of a Vikings homecoming. In theory, if the Vikings spiffy new offense needs an additional playmaker, Patterson should be available for a modest price.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).



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