The Minnesota Vikings are trying to hold out faith on Cordarrelle Patterson as the former first-round wide receiver has yet to truly find his way in the NFL. The Vikings drafted Patterson with the hopes that he would become the next-best downfield target and that has yet to pan out. As the team shops Adrian Peterson to the highest bidder, the Vikings are making it clear that Patterson is not available. Will that stop them from drafting another wide receiver to add to the mix?
According to Vikings general manager Rick Spielman, the team has been impressed with what they have seen from Patterson in voluntary workouts while a trade is not in the picture for the wide receiver. Despite his struggles through two seasons, Patterson still holds value on the open market and the Vikings could get a deal for him, but the team believes the wide receiver can return to the threat he was in college.
"There's no question he is, again there's another young guy that came out early and made a splash his rookie year because of his unique speed and his unique athletic traits," Spielman said, via The Star Tribune. "Sometimes you have to go through some growing pains where you have to realize it's more than just that. It's more than just relying on your athletic skill set and what it takes to be a great receiver in this league. I think Cordarrelle has really grown up a lot," Spielman said. "I know what he has done this offseason dedicating himself to being the best receiver he can be, and how serious he is taking that, we're very excited about the future with Cordarrelle."
The Vikings made upgrades at the receiver position acquiring Mike Wallace in a trade, but the team is still getting linked to draft deals for someone. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the Vikings should not be ruled out for a wide receiver in the first round. The team has taken a look at players like DeVante Parker, Breshad Perriman and Jaelen Strong to add to the offense.
Could the high draft pick be used on a running back instead? If Adrian Peterson is not traded by Thursday, the chances he is dealt are slim. According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, the longer Peterson remains on the roster the less likely he is to be traded since his asking price is so high. If Peterson is traded the Vikings could be in the mix for players like Todd Gurley or Melvin Gordon in the first round to replace the running back.