Falcons 'Joker' Cordarrelle Patterson Reacts to 'New Position'
When the Atlanta Falcons released their depth chart for the season opener against the Carolina Panthers, there were two things that stood out on offense ... the fact that they had 12 starters and that there appeared to be an unknown position.
The position in question was later revealed to be the 'Joker' and offensive weapon Cordarrelle Patterson was listed as the starter. The position essentially allows for the Falcons to use Patterson in a bevy of ways on offense, as he is far too valuable to not have a role in the offense.
According to coach Arthur Smith, with his new Joker designation, Patterson will find himself in just about every position group naming wide receivers, running backs special teams, and even the offensive line as the positions he will intermingle with.
The creation of the new position likely stems from the fact that while the Falcons obviously drafted their running back of the future in Bijan Robinson, they still value what Patterson brings to the table. It also means that there is a possibility that both Patterson and Robinson are on the field at the same time to support young quarterback Desmond Ridder.
You would think that there may be some disappointment in no longer being the lead back, but the do-it-all offensive playmaker has clearly embraced his new role. His profile picture on the app formerly known as Twitter has promptly been changed and pays homage to Heath Ledger's Joker.
It is not often in the NFL that positions are created out of thin air, but for a team like the Falcons who will need all hands on deck this season, it just makes sense.
