Arthur Blank: I Hope Cordarrelle Patterson Is A Falcon This Time Next Year

“From our standpoint, we’d love to have [CP] back,” Blank said. “We saw the same thing that you saw on the field. I think this is a very talented player, a very talented athlete. This is a good example of when a coach understands the scheme – which he does, Coach Smith – and he takes an athlete like this and can use him in a variety of ways I think you see the kind of production that he can have. He’s a terrific young man. He’s great with the fans. He’s great in the locker room. He’s a real competitor… I hope that he’ll be a Falcon this time [next] year.”

Patterson has also been vocal about his desire to be back in Atlanta, as it’s clearly the place he’s fit in the most his entire career. His contract will play a big role, though, as this could be Patterson’s last chance to cash in in his career and the Falcons have limited cap flexibility. 

Patterson, 30, is a former first-round pick of the Vikings back in 2013. He played out his rookie contract with the Vikings, but they declined to pick up his fifth-year option, which allowed him to sign a free-agent deal with the Raiders in 2017.

Patterson was later traded to the Patriots and played out the final year of his two-year, $8.5 million contract. From there, he agreed to a two-year, $10 million contract with the Bears in 2019. He signed a one-year deal with the Falcons for the 2021 season. 

In 2021, Patterson appeared in 16 games for the Falcons, rushing 153 times for 618 yards (4.0 YPC) and six touchdowns. He added 52 receptions on 69 targets for 548 yards and five touchdowns, as well as 434 kickoff return yards.