With less than two weeks to go until the start of the regular season, there may be an opening for the Cleveland Browns to address two roster issues with one move.
Cleveland is potentially in the market for a running back to play behind Nick Chubb with Jerome Ford still sidelined due to a hamstring injury and questions behind him on the depth chart. The Browns could also be in the market for a return specialist, depending on how the wide receiver position battles shakes out and whether Jakeem Grant Sr. and Jaelon Darden have roster spots once the dust settles.
One player who can fill both roles in Cleveland is four-time All-Pro kickoff returner Cordarrelle Patterson of the Atlanta Falcons. Patterson has made his bones in the NFL mostly as a wide receiver, playing there for the first eight years of his career. However, the Falcons transitioned Patterson to running back when he arrived in Atlanta ahead of the 2021 season.
He has amassed 1,313 rushing yards on 297 carries (4.42 yards per attempt) over the past two seasons and scored 14 TDs on the ground. Patterson has also caught 73 passes for 670 yards and five touchdowns over that span, per Pro Football Reference.
Patterson hasn’t earned a Pro-Bowl nod as a kick returner since 2020 with the Chicago Bears, though he has returned 27 kickoffs during his stint with the Falcons, including one for a touchdown.
Falcons’ Need for Cordarrelle Patterson Diminished After NFL Draft
GettyRunning back Cordarrelle Patterson of the Atlanta Falcons.
Since selecting Bijan Robinson No. 8 overall in this year’s draft, the Falcons have less need for their hybrid running back.
Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report on Thursday, August 24, authored a trade pitch in which the Bears make a deal with Atlanta for Patterson.
It makes sense [for Atlanta] to keep [Tyler] Allgeier. He’s a big, physical back who is going to take away some of the more taxing between-the-tackles running duties from Robinson. Keeping Patterson is a different story.
His pass-catching role isn’t going to return with Robinson on the roster. [Robinson] caught 60 passes in his three seasons with the Longhorns and his dual-threat ability was a big reason for drafting him that early. The Falcons would be better off saving $4.3 million and getting something in return for [Patterson].
Patterson is entering the second season of a two-year, $10.5 million contract with the Falcons. The team can save $4.25 million against the salary cap by trading him.
Browns Can Address 2 Roster Issues via Trade for Cordarrelle Patterson
GettyRunning back Cordarrelle Patterson of the Atlanta Falcons.
Cleveland has opened up an extensive amount of room on its balance sheet in recent weeks, restructuring the contracts of several top players including Myles Garrett. The result is nearly $38.4 million at the team’s disposal.
Thus far, it appears the Browns orchestrated those financial maneuverings to clear the way to extensions for several members of their current roster. However, that kind of cash flow makes for a wide range of possibilities.
Cleveand’s No. 3 running back job doesn’t have any suitor stronger than Demetric Felton Jr. at the moment. If the Browns decide to keep Grant on the roster, that choice would be mostly special teams driven.
Instead of wasting a roster spot on a return man coming off an Achilles tear who may not offer much value over whoever his replacement would be, the Browns can kill two birds with one stone. They can add real depth to the running back position and a proven pass-catching complement to Chubb in the form of Patterson, while also getting their kick return duties filled from the RB room rather than the WR room.
Cleveland would still need to figure out who will return punts, but a trade for Patterson is a high-profile move that makes sense and fits into the theme of the Browns’ 2023 offseason.
Trade Pitch Nets Browns 4-Time All-Pro Returner/$10.5 Million RB