Vikings Draft: Cordarrelle Patterson Was Headed to Cowboys Before Trade?

Dec 29, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson (84) runs for a 50 yard touchdown against the Detroit Lions in the first quarter at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Mark Craig of the Star Tribune put together a nice piece for Sunday about the drama in the Minnesota draft war room last year, including a series of fascinating anecdotes about the frantic efforts to make the trade with New England that landed the Vikings Cordarrelle Patterson.

One interesting little tidbit on the wholePatterson trade: The Vikings believe that, had they not cobbled together that deal, there was very little chance Patterson would have been left on the board for them in the second round. Because they have”good intel” that Dallas was going to draft him.

“Cordarrelle was going to go to the Cowboys at No. 31,” Vikings exec George Paton told Craig. “We had pretty good intel after the fact. Derek Dooley was there as their new receivers coach, and he had been the head coach at Tennessee. You never know, but Cordarrelle was too talented to last to the second round.”

The Vikings made sure that Patterson was not available to Dallas or anyone else, working out a deal with New England that sent four picks to the Patriots in exchange for the first rounder that became Cordarrelle.

Viking fans are pretty happy that trade went down, now that Patterson has shown what great talent he possesses. The exuberant wide receiver was one of the true bright spots in an otherwise dismal 2013 season.

So the trade worked out pretty huge for the Vikings. At the time though, it looked like a pretty gutsy gamble.

Will the Vikings and Rick Spielman take any big gambles like that this year?

It’s easier to take those chances when you’ve already made two first round picks as the Vikings had before the Patterson deal came together. This year they have only 8 total picks to play with, so swinging the big trade won’t be as easy.

But I have a feeling Rick Spielman will still try to wheel-and-deal. And the first thing he’ll pursue is moving down from #8.

Like The Viking Age on Facebook.
Follow TVA on Twitter.
Subscribe to the Fansided Daily Newsletter. Sports news all up in your inbox.