New England Patriots: internal free agent preview
By Hal Bent
Cordarrelle Patterson
Position: Wide Receiver
Overview: Patterson joined one of the most prolific and innovative offenses in 2018, and almost instantly re-established himself as a multi-threat weapon capable of returning kicks, catching passes, and even stepping in at running back when needed. While not a star, Patterson showed that he can be a valuable role player and contributor despite limited touches and opportunities.
The question for Patterson is whether another team wants to invest in a wide receiver with terrific size and straight-line speed, but who also doesn’t always run the cleanest routes or use his size to fight for the ball.
The Patriots will likely try and keep Patterson, but with so many young, offensive head coaches looking to make their mark, some other franchise overpaying for a gadget player like Patterson seems likely at this point. It would be a surprise to see Bill Belichick and New England enter a bidding war over Patterson in that event.
UPDATE: As of Tuesday, Patterson has reportedly agreed to a new two-year, $10 million deal with the Chicago Bears.
Expected Cost: Three years at $4 to $5 million per season with $8 to $10 million guaranteed.
Keep or Cut Loose: CUT LOOSE