After a nice rookie year in 2013, Cordarrelle Patterson fell off the map in 2014, only catching 33 balls for 384 yards. Fans begged the Vikings to use Patterson but they could not find a role for him.
After working hard this offseason, the Vikings expect to see a whole different side of Patterson.
“There’s no question he is, again there’s another young guy that came out early and made a splash his rookie year because of his unique speed and his unique athletic traits,” general manager Rick Spielman told The Star Tribune. “Sometimes you have to go through some growing pains where you have to realize it’s more than just that. It’s more than just relying on your athletic skill set and what it takes to be a great receiver in this league.”
The Vikings think Patterson has been working on that.
“I think Cordarrelle has really grown up a lot,” Spielman said. “I know what he has done this offseason dedicating himself to being the best receiver he can be, and how serious he is taking that, we’re very excited about the future with Cordarrelle.”
The more routes Patterson learns to run, and the more blocking he works on, the better he will get. The Vikings may still need to draft a WR in the draft, however I would not give up on Patterson just yet. If anything, he’s shown that he is a good returner.
Source: NFL