The Pittsburgh Steelers have activated Cordarrelle Patterson from the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 on X.The news was also posted in today’s NFL transactions sheet.
Patterson passed his physical which led to his activation, meaning he should be ready to practice next week. It seems unlikely he’ll play in tonight’s preseason opener against the Houston Texans.
Patterson was signed in late March, shortly after the NFL announced the new kickoff rule that should bring excitement back to the play. He was one of three players who were unable to participate at the beginning of training camp due to injury. Tomlin described his injury as a hamstring that was suffered while preparing for the season outside of team activities.
At 33 years old, a soft-tissue injury is at least a little concerning. Those injuries can linger, and the Steelers are counting on him to provide a spark with the new kick return rule. As one of the best return specialists of all time, he has a chance to make a large impact on the 2024 season, which is why Pittsburgh gave him $6 million over two years.
Even more concerning was the fact that Patterson admitted his body was a “2 out of 10” just a month prior as he described his offseason routine of getting rest and family time.
Alex Kozora noted that while he hasn’t been practicing, Patterson was getting light work in on the sideline including on the exercise bike and running. That was a positive sign that things were trending in the right direction.
Now he returns, and we will start to get the first look at him with the new kickoff rules. While he likely won’t play tonight, there’s at least now a chance he’s ready for Pittsburgh’s matchup with the Buffalo Bills next weekend.
He may also play a small role in the offense at running back or wide receiver, though he wasn’t used that way much under Arthur Smith with the Atlanta Falcons a year ago. The majority of his value in Pittsburgh should come in special teams.
