Bears Make Second Bid to Expand Cordarrelle Patterson's Role
Bears special teams coordinator Chris Tabor made an attempt after the Pro Bowl berth announcements to describe Cordarrelle Patterson last season.
'I've stated it multiple times: He's a good football player," Tabor said. "The skill set that he has, not a lot of guys have his size and his speed and his strength and his instincts. I think that's what makes him really a special football player.
"I think sometimes people say, 'Well, what is he? What does he do?' He's a good football player. He can do a lot of things and you don't see a lot of good returners be really good cover guys, and he's one of those guys, so we're blessed to have him."
While Tabor's efforts nicely encapsulated Patterson's overall skill set, Tabor's old boss Dave Toub did a much more precise job pinpointing Patterson's running ability with two words.
New Bears safety Jordan Lucas gave out Toub's description from his days in Kansas City.
"Our special teams coach, coach Toub in Kansas City, he calls (Patterson) 'crazy horse.' Crazy horse," Lucas said. "So whenever we played them the last two years or so, it would just a huge emphasis on him—very big emphasis on him. We didn’t want him running all over us because we know his capabilities."
At 6-foot-2, 238, and with 4.42-second speed in the 40 when he came into the NFL, Patterson does not appear to have lost anything off his ability to run.
An offensive goal this season for the Bears has to be how to integrate Patterson's skills as a runner or receiver into the offense.
The kick returning and his ability to snuff out punt returns as a gunner take care of themselves.
It's a reason why Jon Gruden gave up on Patterson after one year and sent him to the Patriots, even though Patterson had the highest Pro Football Focus grade in 2017 for all receivers at a phenomenal 96.1. The grade probably showed more why PFF's techniques are questioned more than it said anything about Patterson's true abilities.
So Patterson is a Bear, and for the first time since 2016 he will be in the same offense for successive seasons.
Coach Matt Nagy's goal for this year is to find more and better ways to integrate these skills within the offense. Because Patterson is not a great route runner or big into the route tree, the goal needs to be better placing him in formations and situations to deceive opponents.
Patterson has never run from scrimmage for for less than 5.4 yards a carry and averages 7.6 yards for 103 career rushing attempts.
Last year there is no doubt the Bears underused him with 17 rushes and 11 receptions.
With another year to figure it out and another year for the Bears to figure him out, it's possible Patterson bounces back with something closer to his year in New England with 21 receptions and 42 rushes.
Then again, Bears fans have been through something like this before and it finished in a situation not totally unlike Patterson's.
Devin Hester was a player the Bears couldn't get integrated into their offense with regularity, even when they gave him wide receiver money on a contract. His calling card became simply as the best return man ever.
Patterson might be the best kick returner since Hester, and has the second best kick return average of all time.
The Bears have to decide whether this is sufficient for Patterson considering his $5.25 million cap number this year, or whether they can find something more.
Cordarrelle Patterson
Tennessee, 8th season
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 238 pounds
The Key Number: Patterson averages only 10 yards per career reception but averages 7.6 yards per rushing attempt.
Roster Chances: 4 out of 5 on a scale of 1-5.
The Projection: The Bears get Patterson 25 catches and 30 rushing attempts, he averages 11 yards a reception and 7 yards a rush while scoring four offensive touchdowns.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
