After having what many believed was one of the worst rosters in the league last year, the Atlanta Falcons find themselves with, potentially, one of the most explosive offensive groups in the NFC. Drafting offensive skill position players in the first round of the draft three years in a row might have something to do with that.
The young talent on this team is promising, especially in the running back room, with first-round pick Bijan Robinson and undrafted Tyler Allgeier coming off a 1,000 yard season. However, where does that leave veteran Cordarrelle Patterson in this offense. Could a move back to his original position be the answer?
The 2013 first-round pick started his career in Minnesota as a wide receiver. Patterson then spent the next few years as a swiss-army knife type player taking handoffs, catching passes, and returning kicks for the Vikings.
Upon his arrival in Atlanta, Arthur Smith found that the 11-year vet would be better suited in the backfield and used sparingly in the passing game. A role in which he found success, rushing for more than 600 yards in each of his two season with the Falcons and totaling 14 rushing touchdowns during that span.
Now, with a two-headed monster in the backfield, Patterson may be asked to move to a less crowded position group, one that the Falcons could use a consistent veteran presence in. The wide receiver room. Patterson struggled early in his career when asked to be a primary pass catcher, never gaining more than 500 receiving yards, until he got to Atlanta in 2021.
Pairing Patterson with young studs Drake London and Kyle Pitts would provide first-year starter Desmond Ridder, three big-bodied, reliable targets, and add some more depth to what should be one of the better offenses in the league this coming season.