New England Patriots want to unlock potential of Cordarrelle Patterson
By Nick Ziegler
One of the exciting additions for the New England Patriots this offseason was the trade that brought Cordarrelle Patterson in. Apparently, Bill Belichick believes he can help him reach his potential.
The New England Patriots were very busy this offseason. Coming into free agency, the Patriots knew that they would likely be losing a few players, as they didn’t have a ton of cap space, and are rarely willing to overspend.
However, they were able to make a few nice signings and trades that should help them once again reach the Super Bowl next season. One of those additions was Cordarrelle Patterson.
Patterson was selected in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings but hasn’t quite lived up to expectations as a wide receiver. In four years with Minnesota, Patterson never was able to reach 500 receiving yards. However, Patterson has been a great returner, as he has been selected to the Pro Bowl twice because of his skills on special teams.
Recently, Patterson talked about what Bill Belichick is expecting of him on Good Morning Football. With New England, Belichick believes he can unlock the potential of Patterson. Here’s what Patterson had to say.
"“He was just telling me, ‘I don’t know what you’ve been through in the past, but we get the job done here,’ ” Patterson said. “‘We’re going to make you the player that you should be.”"
Considering that Patterson is one of the best returners in the NFL, the comments made by Belichick indicate that the Patriots might be looking to unleash him more as a wide receiver. A player like Patterson can certainly have a big impact on the offense next season, as he is pretty explosive with the ball in his hand.
With the departures of both Danny Amendola and Brandin Cooks, there is going to be an opportunity for Patterson along with others to get playing time at wide receiver. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels can be a very creative play caller. Now, with a weapon like Patterson, the Patriots will likely have some plays designed to get him the ball in space.
Since Patterson has a lot of talent, it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see him have a lot of success with the Patriots. With Belichick being a believer in Patterson, he could be poised for a career-year.