Cordarrelle Patterson has the potential to be great. The wide receiver was a first-round draft pick was taken with the expectations that he would become the new top target for the Minnesota Vikings. However, through a year and a half, that has barely been the case causing Patterson's reputation to come under fire and his future with the franchise put into question. However, head coach Mike Zimmer is downplaying any drama saying he has full confidence in Patterson going forward.
The wide receiver has 332 yards on the season off just 28 catches and one touchdown. Despite putting up 102 yards rushing in Week 1 and 86 yards receiving against Tampa Bay, Patterson's numbers have been very disappointing. Considering the expectations placed upon him after getting drafted, Patterson is in need of stepping up in a major way. Zimmer is confident it will come.
"He does some very, very good things and then some things that you don't like as much. I don't think disappointed is the right word. I think youth might be right word," Zimmer said, via the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "I believe that he's going to be a really good player, but everybody is impatient, including me, and I'm sure he is, too. It will come. It just may take a while."
Patterson's place on the team has come into question after the wide receiver hinted he was unhappy with the lack of targets. Zimmer then spoke up saying that the wide receiver needed to improve his route running if he is going to get the targets, making not that the coaching staff was trying to get him more involved.
"We're trying to get Cordarrelle involved in the offense. We'd love for him to be involved but guys have to make sure that they are in the right places all the time," offensive coordinator Norv Turner said, via ESPN.com.
NFLMocks.com made the suggestion that the Vikings could opt to trade Patterson in the upcoming offseason if they feel things will not work out. The wide receiver is easily still worth a very high draft pick and Minnesota has some rebuilding to do in various positions which could at least spike the team's interest. Given the praise by Zimmer, it is highly unlikely Patterson is going anywhere. But if Teddy Bridgewater is going to succeed at quarterback, the wide receiver needs to step up soon.
