Raiders Sign Ex-Vikings Receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, Boost Return Game

The Oakland Raiders just got faster overnight.

The Raiders signed free agent wide receiver/kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson late Monday night, reportedly on a two-year contract, per NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. Patterson spent his previous four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.

The 25-year-old speedster made his mark in Minnesota as a return specialist, earning first-team All-Pro selections as a returner in 2013 and 2016. Patterson owns the NFL record for the longest kickoff return touchdown and is the only player in NFL history to record a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown, a 75-yard touchdown catch and a 50-yard rushing touchdown in the same season, which he accomplished during his rookie year in 2013.

Patterson didn’t play a major role in the Vikings’ passing game, though, and played sparingly during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. But he bounced back in 2016, catching a career-high 49 passes for 401 yards.

Patterson will be behind wide receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree on Oakland’s depth chart but still could play a role in a Derek Carr-led offense that averaged the second-most yards per game in the AFC last season. He’ll also add a spark to the Raiders’ kick return game, which ranked 22nd in the NFL last season at 20.5 yards per return.

Thumbnail photo via Benny Sieu/USA TODAY Sports Images