ATLANTA — Atlanta Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson is a free agent- and hopes to continue his career in Georgia.
“If the Falcons want me they want me," he said. "If they don’t, there will probably be plenty of other teams that want me so we will see what happens."
At the NFL Combine, Falcons General Manager Terry Fontenot and Head Coach Arthur Smith were asked a plethora of questions. Some of which included Patterson's future with the team.
“It was a month into free agency when we signed CP. He wasn’t getting the offers he wanted and again a month into it we signed him, we had a clear vision for him," Fontenot said. "It says a lot about him the success that he had because he’s a great man. He’s a great player and he had that on and off the field."
Falcons head coach also had great things to say about the running back, adding that he helped elevate the team.
“We’re looking for help anywhere we can get it and CP did a terrific job, embraced the role and took off from there,” Smith said.
Patterson signed a one-year deal with the Falcons and was perhaps the brightest spot of the offense. He also hasn’t been shy about saying he wants to return to Atlanta.
“It feels like home. Let’s not sugarcoat anything. At the end of the day what’s right is right,” Patterson said.
What is it about Atlanta that makes it feel like home for Patterson? It’s not like he doesn’t have experience in other NFL cities. The Atlanta Falcons are his fifth team but he said the Falcons feel different.
“Coach Smith really brought the good out of me and really showed a lot of teams what I could do," the athlete said.
Patterson was the brightest spot within the Falcons offense for the 2021 season and provided a very unexpected spark.
“Probably because people said I was 30 and I still didn’t have it in me. I told them when you’re competitive like me you love ball. I just go out there, play my butt off and hopefully good things happen,” said Patterson.
Many people want the versatile back to return in a Falcons uniform. The team loves Patterson, but there's more to the decision to bring him back. Atlanta is currently sitting around $7 million over the salary cap.