Should Patterson be the primary kickoff returner?

[DK Sweets]

So I'm watching the 2007 game against the Bears at Chicago, and Devin Hester is amazing. Honestly though, I think Flash has every ounce of talent that Hester did.

I still think it would be prudent to let Patterson evolve as a receiver, but we've seen players like Deion Sanders return kicks late in their careers. Maybe this is the beer talking, but I think I'm coming around to the general consensus: CP84 is as dangerous as anybody has been on returns, and maybe he should be our main returner. I still think Sherels should take some of those kicks, but we can't let a talent like this watch an inferior player do the majority of the grunt work.

[Pseudo Everything]

I'm in favor of Patterson retuning kicks up until the point he gets injured returning a KO and then I and thousands of other Vikings fans will be against it.

Okay ... seriously, I think we should only use him as a KO returner selectively. The potential for a serious injury on a KO return would just naturally seem to be higher given that all the defenders have 40+ yards to get a full head of steam.

What I find interesting is how few teams have their #1 or #2 WRs as their KO returner. Antonio Brown used to be Pittsburgh's KO returner (and was pretty good at it) but the Steelers took that role away from him the last two years after he ascended to their #1 WR. Jacoby Jones and Randall Cobb are the only other guys I can think of that return KOs and have a prominent role in the passing game (more Cobb than Jones). It will be interesting to see whether the Packers continue to use Cobb as a KO returner coming off a broken leg last year; I suspect they won't.

As for injuries on KO returns, I have a name for you: Jason Sehorn

[dead_poet]

Krammer: As returns die, Vikings should let Cordarrelle Patterson run

Patterson is expected to play a crucial role in Turner's offense, as opposed to his rookie year where he saw two-thirds of his 446 offensive snaps in the final seven games. Many question whether it's worth to risk injury for five returns when you can have him for 50 or more plays on offense during a game.

During the seven-game stretch in 2013 where Patterson averaged 42.5 snaps on offense, he was held out on kick returns for two games. Of the five games he returned kickoffs and played an integral role on offense, Patterson compiled 548 yards on 19 returns for a 29-yard average that still would've been good enough for third among all kick returners in the NFL last season.

The Vikings are trying to be proactive with a budding superstar, which is smart. But unless they can strike gold with another rookie returner in McKinnon, there should be little doubt that Patterson, who has played in all 28 games his college and NFL team have asked of him since 2012, can handle the few extra plays on his plate.

As Priefer has probably told the Vikings coaching staff: Don't overthink this, just give him the ball.

"I hope to not back him off at all," Priefer said. "That would be my plan but of course it's not just me. That's up to Coach Zimmer and how we use him on offense...To me it's the first play of the offensive series, that's the way I look at it."

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Kram ... _run082214

[Demi]

Well, didn't take long before he got hurt on a kickoff.

[frosted]

Well, didn't take long before he got hurt on a kickoff.

What?

Cordarrelle Patterson left Thursday night's game against the Packers with a hip injury.
Patterson went down after six-yard screen in the third quarter. He briefly returned for one play, but will likely be held out for the rest of the game. With Christian Ponder at quarterback, Patterson had two catches for eight yards on four targets. Oct 2 - 10:50 PM

[Demi]

He was on KFAN the other day and said he took a helmet to the hip on a return!

[purplereign1]

I picked no, but that's assuming he's going to get a better look on offense. Between the injury risk, and the impact it could have on the following drive on offense, I'd rather he focused on that!

CP isn't going to be winded from running a kickoff back 25 yards. He runs further than that on virtually every pass route. He will only get a little bit winded if he breaks a long return, at which point it is well worth it.

[purplereign1]

On the field
On the sideline
I don't know about you, but it's pretty clear to me which has a higher "injury risk".

Well if that's the case we probably shouldn't play any of our good players at all for fear they may get injured. That's like saying we should take TB out on obvious passing downs because there is a higher risk of a sack. Great players need to get the ball to be great.

[PurpleKoolaid]

What else is he going to do? The decoy bit isn't working.

[Demi]

Well if that's the case we probably shouldn't play any of our good players at all for fear they may get injured. That's like saying we should take TB out on obvious passing downs because there is a higher risk of a sack. Great players need to get the ball to be great.

Teams dont play their good players on special teams. For some reason. Not sure why, it sounds like there's no negative to it at all from some of these posts.

What else is he going to do? The decoy bit isn't working.

That was my original thought, if he can't contribute on offense. Fine. But he's suppose to be some amazing weapon, if that's the case, he's as good as some believe, he shouldn't be returning kicks, he should be helping the offense and minimizing injury opportunities. And someone with less value should be taking those returns. Would the field position really change that much, compared to some peoples belief that he brings that much to the offense?

[losperros]

Well if that's the case we probably shouldn't play any of our good players at all for fear they may get injured. That's like saying we should take TB out on obvious passing downs because there is a higher risk of a sack. Great players need to get the ball to be great.

You're very right. The Vikings need to field their best players in the best scenarios. Patterson proved last year that he is a dynamic returner. And special teams play is all part of the package. The Vikings need what he can do as a returner.

It's not difficult to see what kind of playmaker Patterson can be. He proved at Tennessee and during his rookie year with the Vikings that he's a threat to score any time he touches the ball. You don't hide a guy like that. You play him.

[chicagopurple]

may teams use their BEST players on special teams...Look at Julian Edelman,he is basically the Pats primary receiver AND their leading kick returner. I have never seen a stat proving that kick returners get injured more then RBs or WRs....its all just assumption. Patterson is surely under-utilized as a reciever so why NOT put him on the field on kicks?? Players have relatively short careers in general, no need to pretend its just kick returners that get injured.

[PacificNorseWest]

^ Yep. Seattle uses practically their entire starting secondary on kickoffs. That's why that unit is so dang good. You play your best players in spots where they have the greatest chances making an impact and giving the team success. Period.