Player: RB Cordarrelle Patterson
Stock Value: Down
Reasoning: Do the Steelers have a place for Cordarrelle Patterson in their new-look backfield or their kick return line? They signed him hoping he would provide a spark in the return game, but he delivered the opposite. Thanks to him, they had the worst kick return average in the NFL. Indeed, reporters are doubting we will see him much longer, or at least in the regular season.
We all swing and miss sometimes, and it seems the Steelers swung and missed on Cordarrelle Patterson. At the very least, they are on strike one. By their own admission, they signed Patterson in response to the new kick return rule. Through his efforts, they had the NFL’s worst kick return game.
While he had about three plays on offense on which he looked like he still had some juice, Patterson looked like he was running in molasses on special teams. His lackadaisical attitude to conditioning also rings in my ears when thinking about his injury issues.
Recently, reporters have expressed doubt that the Steelers would put Cordarrelle Patterson on kick returns. Whether they use Kenneth Gainwell or Donte Kent, they will go another way, the claim goes.
But if Patterson isn’t returning kicks, what is he doing on the Steelers’ roster? More importantly, what is he doing collecting $2,800,000? I’m not one to count another man’s paycheck, but I struggle to envision a realistic scenario in which the Steelers extract $2,800,000 in value out of him this year.
Another reason the Steelers signed Cordarrell Patterson last year was to aid in the transition to Arthur Smith’s offense. Well, they have transitioned now, so do they still need him? They can use him if he can play effectively. But they have Jaylen Warren, Kaleb Johnson and Gainwell at running back already. If Patterson isn’t returning kicks, it’s hard to see him on this team. So, he needs to show remarkable improvement under the new rules if he wants to keep his job, I’d estimate.
With the new league year underway and the Steelers turning their roster over, it’s once again time to “take stock.” It took a while, but we finally saw some of that change the team talked about after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract. Oh, and they also traded some guy named George Pickens, which people found significant.
There is still a long way to go before we know what this Steelers team is going to look like. The dust is settled on both free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft. What other moves might the team make, perhaps unexpected acquisitions or departures? If they traded for one player, they could certainly trade for another, or trade one away. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?
