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Atlanta Falcons’ superstar Cordarrelle Patterson will become a free agent once the new league starts in March.
Patterson has made it obvious that he wants to stick around Atlanta but after a breakout 2021 season, he’ll be looking for more money. It will ultimately come down to if the Falcons can pay up. But so far––it looks like a deal could be in the works.
On Thursday, January 10, Falcons’ owner Arthur Blank informed the local media that they have been talks with the dual-threat running back.
“From our standpoint, we’d love to have [Cordarrelle Patterson] back,” Blank said, per the team’s official website. “We saw the same thing that you saw on the field. I think this is a very talented player, a very talented athlete. This is a good example of when a coach understands the scheme – which he does, Coach Smith – and he takes an athlete like this and can use him in a variety of ways I think you see the kind of production that he can have. He’s a terrific young man. He’s great with the fans. He’s great in the locker room. He’s a real competitor… I hope that he’ll be a Falcon this time [next] year.”
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Patterson Wants to Retire in the ‘A’
The Falcons signed Patterson to a one-year, $3 million deal last year and if he ends up sticking around, he’ll be expecting a bigger deal.
Patterson was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. Since parting ways with the Vikings in 2016, he has played for the Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots and Chicago Bears.
In nine seasons, the only other team he has spent more than one season with are the Bears, but he hopes Atlanta can change that and believes, at age 30, he has plenty left in the tank.
“I’ve been around five teams, eight offensive coordinators; being here, I feel like I’m at home. Why not just finish my career here?” Patterson said, via the team’s official website. “I’m comfortable with all the guys in the locker room, the coaches, you know, and everybody so why not finish my career here?
“I still got 10 years left in me. Ten years, plus. I’mma be here ’till they kick me out.”
After almost a decade in the league, the Falcons were the first team to figure out how to use Patterson to his best abilities in their offensive system. By doing so, Patterson recorded a career-high of 607 rushing yards, 547 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns.
It’s notable to add that fans would like CP back in Atlanta just as bad as he wants to be there next fall.
Falcons Need to Address Their RB Room Immediately
The Falcons currently have four picks heading into the 2022 NFL draft and they will need to make each and every single one count.
Round 1: pick No. 8
Round 2: pick No.43
Round 2: pick No. 58
Round 3: pick No. 74
With several holes to fill on both sides of the ball, it’s unclear where they will start first but the running back position is a top need. Two veterans, Mike Davis and CP, led the rushing attack last season. Using one of their picks on a much younger running back to develop under the vets and head coach Arthur Smith might be the move Atlanta needs to take to make in order to finally establish a solid run game.
There are a handful of running back prospects that Atlanta can turn to in the draft including, Kenneth Walker, Breece Hall, Isaiah Spiller, Kyren Williams, Zonovan Knight and Dameon Peirce.
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