At the league meetings last month, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer tried his best to reason with a fan base clamoring for more of wideout Cordarrelle Patterson.
"There's no question he is, again there's another young guy that came out early and made a splash his rookie year because of his unique speed and his unique athletic traits," general manager Rick Spielman told The Star Tribune. "Sometimes you have to go through some growing pains where you have to realize it's more than just that. It's more than just relying on your athletic skill set and what it takes to be a great receiver in this league."
On the bright side, Spielman thinks Patterson has turned a corner in that respect.
"I think Cordarrelle has really grown up a lot," Spielman said. "I know what he has done this offseason dedicating himself to being the best receiver he can be, and how serious he is taking that, we're very excited about the future with Cordarrelle."
Patterson will likely play behind Charles Johnson and Mike Wallace, at least. He didn't crack the 15 percent mark in snaps played over the final five weeks of the season.
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