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Pro Bowl free agent the Tennessee Titans should sign

By Will Lomas

Nov 20, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson (84) against the Arizona Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Cardinals 30-24. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 20, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson (84) against the Arizona Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Cardinals 30-24. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /
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Why a return specialist may be the easiest fit for the Tennessee Titans in free agency.

The Pro Bowl rosters have been finalized and the first thing I did is scour it for future Tennessee Titans.

The name that stuck out like a sore thumb in the group was Minnesota Vikings WR/KR Cordarrelle Patterson.

So if you aren’t familiar with Patterson, there are a few things you should know about him.

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-After junior college he transferred to the University of Tennessee and had an immediate impact as one of the most dynamic players in the SEC. However, he came into the NFL largely unpolished thanks to a sub par Tennessee coaching staff desperate to score points however they could to keep up with a very bad defense.

-While he showed flashes in his rookie year, he probably should have been designated with the OW (offensive weapon) tag that was given out in Jacksonville to players without a real defined role in a traditional offense.

-After a lot of ups and downs in his career it became evident that despite the investment of a first round pick, Patterson should probably be limited to a very finite route tree and should be used in the backfield some as well.

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    • All that being said, Patterson may be one of the best players in the NFL with the ball in his hand in space. He is flat out fast, big, hard to tackle, shifty, and all the other words you would use to describe players like Lesean McCoy and Percy Harvin in the open field.

    He made it to the Pro Bowl this year as a return ace, which is exactly what the Tennessee Titans need. On top of that, he is probably best suited as a slot wide receiver.

    Despite his size, a free release and an accurate QB with time could make Patterson one of the most unique weapons in the game. Flashing back to his college days and early in his career, you could even line him up in the backfield to get him mismatched on linebackers or safeties.

    Now, Patterson is a free agent so you would assume the Vikings would want to keep him but not so fast.

    Conor Orr, the Around the NFL’s powerhouse had an article the other day detailing how Cordarrelle Patterson is thinking right now. Here is a clip from that article:

    “Of course, man. Two years I spent damn near on the sideline. That’s never a good feeling for any player. No player wants to go through that,” he said. “I need to know if I’m going to play or not. If not, I’ll take my talents elsewhere…

    …It’s kind of exciting,” he said. “I’ve never been a free agent. It’s just like coming out of college again. You never know what’s going to happen. You never know where you’re going to go. It’s a lot of excitement to me. It’ll feel good to lay around for a little bit and kick my feet up.”

    I’m not saying the Tennessee Titans should go out and sign Patterson to a huge deal and make him a top-10 paid WR, but throwing a nice 3-year deal at a player who fits what they need perfectly would be a really smart idea.

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    Also, having Rishard Matthews on the outside, Patterson in the slot and Tajae Sharpe on the other side, the Tennessee Titans would have a deceptively good group of offensive weapons, especially when you add Pro Bowlers DeMarco Murray and Delanie Walker into the mix.

    Oh, and just so you don’t think this is a fluke for Patterson, this year was not only his second Pro Bowl, but his second year as a first team All-Pro which is amazing for a player on his frist contract.

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