Cordarrelle Patterson Returns To Practice For Vikings

After sitting out practices because of a foot injury, Cordarrelle Patterson has returned to practice as a full participant.

The foot injury had held him out of things like 11-on-11 drills.  Those drills are very important in learning plays, developing team chemistry and gaining confidence in a new offensive system.  Today, Cordarrelle Patterson is working with the first team offense where he is catching passes from either Matt Cassel or Teddy Bridgewater.

Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune shared this information on Twitter.  Here is the tweet:

Cordarrelle Patterson’s return is a great sign for an offense that could find themselves manufacturing touches for the dynamic second year playmaker.  Last season, he showed some unbelievable flashes of brilliance when he got the ball in his hands when returning kicks and as a pass catcher.  For this offense to be a legitimate threat, they need as many of their weapons healthy and ready to go as possible.

Dec 29, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson (84) runs with the ball to score a touchdown during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

He will join the newly extended Kyle Rudolph and veteran Greg Jennings in the first team offense as potential pass catchers.  However, those passes will be distributed out much more than last year now that it appears star running back Adrian Peterson will be a bigger part of the aerial assault.

A healthy Cordarrelle Patterson is a great step for making this offense more exciting and more unpredictable.  Personally, I can’t wait to see what kind of creative uses new offensive coordinator Norv Turner can come up with for the second year phenom.