Vikings' Patterson Working Hard For Contract Extension
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Vikings are making big strides this offseason, and they're hoping some come from their long strider.
Cordarrelle Patterson was not offered a contract extension -- meaning he has not sold his bosses on his work ethic. Now is his opportunity to prove he belongs.
Mostly, Patterson is trying to enjoy mini camp -- and trying to get better.
"I'm just trying to get better, each and every day," he said. "Some days you're going to come out here and run every perfect route and don't get the ball. Some days you can run all bad routes and get the ball and drop it."
He has mastered one part of his craft -- returning kicks.
"You've got 10 guys out there running at you full speed, and you've got the kicker back there -- everybody's going to try to get a piece of you," he said. "You just got to go out there and trust your 10 guys are going to go out there and block for you."
But what the coaches want is for him to become a factor on Sundays as a receiver. As a big target with gifts, he now has to become big on details, which have, so far, been his nemesis.
"This is what we get paid for. It's our job. We do this each and every day. It's something we love," he said. "Just pay attention to the little things. You know if you get them down pat, you'll be a great player."
So he tries to remedy that in practice. tries to prove to his teammates he's improving. He's hoping that he's good enough this year to get a contract for the following year.
"If that contract comes, it comes. If it don't, it don't," he said. "A lot of that stuff is out of my league, and I'm just going to control what I can control."
