When the Pittsburgh Steelers signed KR/RB/WR Cordarrelle Patterson this offseason, his big contribution to the team was expected to be in the kick return game. However, through three weeks, that hasn’t been the case.
Entering Week Four, Patterson has yet to return a kick, as teams avoid him. Yet, Patterson has still seen increased playing time on offense due to injuries to RB Jaylen Warren and WR Van Jefferson. Patterson’s ability to play both wide receiver and running back is huge for Pittsburgh because if an injury happens to one of those positions, Patterson can fill in seamlessly.
Patterson recently spoke with reporters and was asked out of kick returner, running back, and wide receiver, which is his favorite.
“I just want the ball in my hands,” said Patterson in a video on the Steelers YouTube page. “I just try to make things happen when I get the ball in my hands. So, whenever I can get the ball, no matter if I’m at running back, receiver, kick return, it really doesn’t matter.”
Although Patterson is mostly known as a kick returner due to an impressive nine career kick return touchdowns, he is also a capable offensive weapon. In particular, Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith utilized Patterson heavily while head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. In 2022, Patterson ran the ball 144 times for 695 yards and eight touchdowns. As for Patterson lining up at wide receiver, he began his career as a receiver for the Minnesota Vikings and was primarily a wide receiver on offense for eight years.
Patterson never excelled as an offensive player, but he can play either running back or wide receiver. So far, the Steelers have been grateful for his versatility as he has been able to fill in at both running back and receiver admirably this year. Due to Warren’s injury this summer, Patterson took on extra running back snaps in Atlanta. Then Warren was injured against the Los Angeles Chargers, allowing Patterson to take on a bigger role as a running back again last week. At wide receiver, Jefferson was injured for most of the Chargers game, leading Pittsburgh to call on Patterson to line up at receiver for portions of the game.
Last week, Patterson ran the ball four times for 33 yards and caught three passes for 15 yards. Those aren’t numbers that will blow you away, but for a backup filling in for injuries, the Steelers will certainly take that.
Pittsburgh probably did not envision Cordarrelle Patterson having to fill in all over the offense, but they are lucky to have him. Not many players can fill in all over the offense like Patterson, and his versatility certainly helps with depth and deciding who to dress on Sundays.
