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Cordarrelle Patterson has been a dominant return specialist during the period in which that job decreased in importance. As the NFL prepares to revive this play, the Steelers are bringing in a perennial All-Pro.
Pittsburgh is signing Patterson to a two-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This will reunite the versatile performer with Arthur Smith, who was at the controls when Patterson shifted to running back in Atlanta.
The NFL moved its kickoff line from the 30-yard line back to the 35 — its location until 1994 — in 2011. This did not stop Patterson from impacting games in the years that followed. The 2013 first-round pick was never able to catch on as a wide receiver, but he has been this NFL period’s premier kick returner and one of the greatest in NFL history. Not dabbling much in the punt-return game, Patterson has racked up four first-team All-Pro honors as a kick returner. He has the most kick-return touchdowns (nine) in NFL history.
While Patterson’s return accomplishments are well known, he made a decent impact at a new position under Smith in Atlanta. The Falcons moved the former wide receiver to running back in 2021, making him their starter despite being at an age when running backs struggle to gain employment. Patterson became a running back at 30 and functioned as a regular for the Falcons at that post in 2021 and ’22.
The ex-Vikings top pick racked up 1,166 scrimmage yards in 2021, helping a team that had traded Julio Jones and saw Calvin Ridley leave early in the season due to mental health reasons. Despite Patterson being north of 30 at the time, the Falcons then gave him a two-year, $10.5M deal. The 2022 arrival of Tyler Allgeier minimized Patterson’s backfield role, but he still gained a career-high 695 rushing yards despite missing four games that season. The Falcons ranked third in rushing that year. However, Bijan Robinson‘s 2023 arrival slowed the Patterson-at-RB experiment; he logged 50 carries last season.
Patterson, who turned 33 earlier this month, does not appear to have a clear path to a running back role in Pittsburgh. The team has Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren on rookie contracts. That said, Smith coached the veteran playmaker for three seasons; gadget plays could certainly be in the offing. Though, the Steelers will obviously be set to put Patterson to work on special teams.
Overall, the Tennessee alum has six All-Pro honors (two second-team nods) on his resume. Earning first-team acclaim in 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2020, Patterson has returned a kickoff for a score in seven separate seasons. Only one such jaunt came in Atlanta — as the others occurred while Patterson was with the Vikings, Patriots and Bears — but that 2022 TD broke Josh Cribbs and Leon Washington‘s NFL record. The extended production earned the 220-pound talent an All-Decade honor. He will soon get to work for a fifth NFL team.
More must-reads:
- Steelers continue big day by adding Super Bowl-winning WR
- Steelers HC Mike Tomlin explains Kenny Pickett trade
- The 'Starting QBs from Week 3 of the 2004 NFL season' quiz
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Biggest impact of Josh Naylor trade may still be to come
While the Seattle Mariners landed an impact bat on Thursday night, their trade for Josh Naylor has also likely impacted the entire upcoming MLB trade deadline. On Thursday, Seattle sent a pair of top pitching prospects to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Naylor, with left-hander Brandyn Garcia (ranked as Seattle's 13th-best prospect by MLB.com) and right-hander Ashton Izzi (ranked as Seattle's 16th-best prospect by the same rankings) heading to the desert. Knowing what the Diamondbacks received in exchange for Naylor could well set the market for what is to come between now and the conclusion of the 2025 MLB trade deadline, set for 6 p.m. (Eastern) on July 31. The 28-year-old first baseman was ranked by The Athletic as the 17th-best trade candidate likely to be available, but ranked behind just one other first baseman (Baltimore's Ryan O'Hearn, who was slotted in at 16th). If Naylor brought in a pair of pitching prospects, including Garcia, who has appeared in two games this season for Seattle, the Diamondbacks could be salivating over what third baseman Eugenio Suarez and his 36 home runs could bring in return. All MLB teams who will be buying or selling at this year's trade deadline have had the first price bar set for them with the Naylor deal. Now it will be fascinating to see what comes next, especially knowing that Naylor will be a free agent at the end of this season. If Seattle gave up two pitching prospects for a player who could be a late-season rental only, imagine what the Minnesota Twins may be able to recoup for starting pitcher Joe Ryan (under team control through the 2027 season) or the Boston Red Sox might get back for outfielder Jarren Duran, who won't be a free agent until the 2029 campaign. While Naylor may not be the biggest move to come during this span before the trade deadline comes to a close, his deal could be the one that establishes selling prices for the trades that are to come. With so few MLB teams expected to be outright sellers, the price for available talent was expected to be high. We learned on Thursday night with the Naylor swap just how high those prices may go.
Sherrone Moore says Michigan will do away with controversial celebration
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Hurricanes take care of business, sign star winger to lucrative eight-year extension
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