The Cordarrelle Patterson era in Minnesota appears to be on its final days. Four days after the Vikings drafted Laquon Treadwell in the first round of the NFL draft, the Vikings passed on picking up Patterson's fifth-year option, as ESPN and NFL Network both reported.
And that makes it difficult to envision a scenario that involves Patterson in Minnesota after the 2016 season.
Since the Vikings drafted Patterson in the first round of the 2013 draft, they've been rewarded with 80 receptions, 863 receiving yards, and five touchdowns through the air. Though he proved to be an electric returner (four kickoff return touchdowns in three years), Patterson clearly struggled to develop into a consistent, every-down receiver.
Before this past season, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer already indicated his lack of faith in Patterson's development.
Zimmer asked if Patterson ran the wrong route on Shaun Hill's INT "Probably, if you were a betting man." #Vikings
— Master Tesfatsion (@MasterTes) August 23, 2015
Patterson proceeded to haul in two passes for 10 yards during the entire 2015 season. Though, in his defense, he was targeted on just two passes.
Perhaps his best, worst moment came during the Vikings' blowout loss to the Seahawks late in the season. When Patterson returned a kickoff for a touchdown to cut the Seahawks' lead to 28 points, he actually showboated into the end zone.
Cordarrelle Patterson headed to 2016 season like pic.twitter.com/VMoEfxiqkp
— David Ely (@David_Ely) May 2, 2016
Again, Zimmer wasn't pleased.
Mike Zimmer had no comment on Cordarrelle Patterson antics on kickoff TD. Perhaps his comment will come after Patterson is released in 2016
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) December 6, 2015
Then, after the season, Zimmer said the obvious: Patterson is a returner and nothing more.
Mike Zimmer said it's on Cordarrelle Patterson to become a real WR. "If he doesn't do it, then that's what he's going to be, a returner."
— Matt Vensel (@mattvensel) January 12, 2016
So, consider the report of the Vikings saying "no thanks" to Patterson's fifth-year option the billionth sign they're looking forward to the day when they can cheaply part ways with him. Had the team picked up his option, it would've been committing $7.9 million in 2017 to a returner.
Besides, the Vikings already have two promising young wideouts in Treadwell and Stefon Diggs -- the team's fifth round pick last year. Diggs recorded 52 receptions, 720 yards, and four touchdowns in his rookie season. And Treadwell, for a while, was projected as the top receiver in this year's draft class.
For what it's worth Patterson says he's trying to become a well-rounded receiver this year.
"I just approach this whole year way different than I've been doing," Patterson said in February, per ESPN "I'm a lot more focused, just trying to work on my craft -- route-running, getting in and out of breaks, just trying to get the timing good with Teddy."
The bad news: It took Patterson until this offseason to change his approach. By now, it's probably too late.
