We’re just over two weeks away from the beginning of NFL free agency, and one of the biggest question marks for the Falcons is the potential return of Swiss-army knife Cordarelle Patterson.
From Patterson’s perspective, there is no question that he wants to stick around in Atlanta following the most productive season of his career. Doubling down on comments he made at the end of the regular season, Patterson told ESPN that, while he understands the business of the NFL, it’s his desire to sign a new deal with the Falcons.
“When you get somewhere, Atlanta feels like home, so why not retire here and end my career here. It feels good. It feels like it’s the right place, but at the end of the day, I’ve got to do what’s best for me and my family, you know, and if Atlanta is not that place, then it’s not that place.
“Hopefully it is, but if it’s not, I’ll move on with my life. Being vocal, that’s just something that I do, man. When I first got to Atlanta, I said, I’ll get in, get the fans involved so when it’s time to get a new contract, I’ve got the fans on my side. So it all played out just how I expected it to,” Patterson told ESPN’s Michael Rothstein.
Some wear their heart on their sleeves, but Patterson wore his heart on his cleats. Prior to the Falcons’ season finale, the nine-year veteran rocked a pair of cleats with the message “why not retire in Atlanta” before continuing to pound that drum on social media this offseason.
In the piece published by ESPN, Patterson said that, regardless of what happens, he’ll remember this past season forever and that “Atlanta spoiled me, man. I’m thankful, honestly.”
After signing a 1-year, $3 million deal before the 2021 season, Arthur Smith unlocked the potential that the Vikings saw when they selected Patterson in the first round of the 2013 draft as he lead the Falcons with 11 total touchdowns—6 rushing and 5 receiving. In the NFL, with productivity comes a higher price tag. So, what does that mean for the likelihood that Patterson re-signs with the Falcons.
Patterson’s career year saw his projected market value skyrocket to $9.1 million, according to Spotrac. Currently, the Falcons are $7 million over the cap and will have to do some maneuvering to create space if they hope to retain Patterson or LB Foye Oluokun.
Five players currently make nearly 60% of the Falcons cap—Matt Ryan, Grady Jarrett, Jake Matthews, Deion Jones and Calvin Ridley. With that in mind, restructuring Jarrett and Matthew’s deals are a potential solution in the effort to create the necessary space ahead of free agency.
Without a ton of cash to spend in free agency, the Falcons may have to choose between Patterson and Foye before looking to retool the roster in the NFL Draft.