NFL contracts are all about acquiring value; this value lies in the contrast between how a particular player performed and how much money said player is making. The Falcons gave Deion Jones a lucrative deal a couple of seasons ago, and he hasn’t quite lived up to it; however, he’s still not a bad linebacker. Many fans believed Fabian Moreau was a liability on the field in 2021, but considering his price tag, he out-performed his contract.
Joel Corry is a former agent who helped found Premier Sports & Entertainment, a sports management firm representing athletes and coaches. He now works for CBS Sports, where he sheds light on complex NFL contracts and how they affect organizations’ economics. In his annual Contract Awards, he named Cordarrelle Patterson the “Offensive Signing of the Year.”
The best & worst of NFL contracts in 2021 featuring De'Vondre Campbell, Jordan Mailata & Taysom Hill. My 9th annual Contract Awards looking at the NFL season from an economic perspective via @CBSSports.https://t.co/jswpBRkjyW
— Joel Corry (@corryjoel) February 4, 2022
Nobody envisioned Cordarrelle Patterson becoming an indispensable offensive weapon for the Falcons when he signed a one-year, $3 million deal with $1.7 million fully guaranteed last April. Patterson led the Falcons with 618 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. He was third on the team with 52 receptions. Patterson was named the Pro Football Writers of America’s Co-Most Improved Player with Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs. 306 of Patterson’s 472 offensive snaps were in the backfield at running back while 164 were at wide receiver according to Pro Football Focus.
Patterson set a career high with 1,166 yards from scrimmage (combined rushing and receiving yards) this season. A member of the 2010s All-Decade team as a kick returner, Patterson’s 1,609 all purpose yards (combined rushing, receiving and return yards) were sixth most in the league.
Patterson had an unbelievable year for the Falcons. The front office, coaching staff, fans, and even Patterson himself have been outspoken about wanting the former All-Pro kick returner to re-sign with Atlanta. He’s even taken a comical approach on social media to make his case for the Falcons to sign him:
https://twitter.com/AtlantaFalcons/status/1480278644215984131?s=20&t=upy3sMZZ_5eTWt5sCycOhA
https://twitter.com/ceeflashpee84/status/1484711712007802882?s=20&t=upy3sMZZ_5eTWt5sCycOhA
https://twitter.com/ceeflashpee84/status/1488555128558964737?s=20&t=upy3sMZZ_5eTWt5sCycOhA
#NewProfilePic #MeAndPops pic.twitter.com/rDO0xga1Gk
— cordarrelle patterson (@ceeflashpee84) February 4, 2022
Next season, Patterson will surely garner more than the $3 million contract he played under in 2021, but what that price tag will be is still uncertain. The Falcons cannot, and will not, overpay for his services.
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