Cordarrelle Patterson, Falcons Reportedly Agree to 2-year Contract

Cordarrelle Patterson will return to the Atlanta Falcons, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo on Saturday.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's D. Orlando Ledbetter reported Patterson will sign for two years.

The four-time All-Pro set a career high in yards from scrimmage in 2021 after running for 618 yards and six touchdowns and catching 52 passes for 548 yards and five scores.

Not surprisingly, the 31-year-old indicated in February he was hopeful of remaining in Atlanta, going so far as to say he could end his career with the Falcons.

"When you get somewhere, Atlanta feels like home, so why not retire here and end my career here," he told ESPN's Michael Rothstein. "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."

During his spells with the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears, Patterson established himself as an elite return man. He was the NFL's leader in average kick return yards in 2013, 2015 and 2016.

The 2013 first-round pick had struggled to assert himself into an NFL offense, though. The fact that the Falcons were his fifth team in nine seasons spoke to how his value in the return game only went so far.

Atlanta head coach Arthur Smith and offensive coordinator Dave Ragone saw something different in Patterson, though, and deployed him at running back more than any other team had. 

Patterson's versatility is likely to be even more helpful in 2022 with Calvin Ridley suspended for the entire year due to his gambling on NFL games.

The Falcons struck out in the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes, with the Houston Texans star reportedly on his way to the Cleveland Browns.

But re-signing Patterson continues a solid offseason for the team, which has included new deals for Jake Matthews, Isaiah Oliver and Younghoe Koo and the signing of Casey Hayward.