A while back I published something skeptical about Jaylen Warren, concerned that he wouldn't get enough weekly touches while splitting time with Najee Harris. Looks like Pittsburgh might be going one step further in complicating this backfield, having now signed Cordarrelle Patterson.
New offensive coordinator Arthur Smith was probably involved in this decision, having worked with Patterson in Atlanta the last three years. Smith is famously not interested in how observers (including fantasy leaguers) believe he should utilize his skill players. The addition of Patterson gives him another body to put on the field to frustrate them.
The past three seasons, Patterson has been active for 43 games. He's received at least 10 offensive touches (runs-receptions) in more than half of them (22), and 5-plus in 36 of 43. That usage is shown below, sorted by total touches (yards and touchdowns in those games are also shown).
| CORDARRELLE PATTERSON ON OFFENSE, 2021-2023 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Opp | Att | Run | No | Rec | Tch | Yds | TD |
| 2022 | N.O. | 22 | 120 | 3 | 16 | 25 | 136 | 1 |
| 2021 | NYJ | 14 | 54 | 7 | 60 | 21 | 114 | 0 |
| 2021 | at Jac. | 16 | 108 | 2 | 27 | 18 | 135 | 2 |
| 2021 | at Car. | 16 | 58 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 59 | 1 |
| 2022 | at Sea. | 17 | 141 | 1 | 12 | 18 | 153 | 1 |
| 2021 | at Mia. | 14 | 60 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 61 | 1 |
| 2021 | T.B. | 13 | 78 | 3 | 18 | 16 | 96 | 0 |
| 2021 | at N.O. | 9 | 10 | 6 | 126 | 15 | 136 | 0 |
| 2022 | at N.O. | 14 | 52 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 52 | 1 |
| 2022 | Ariz. | 9 | 42 | 6 | 42 | 15 | 84 | 1 |
| 2021 | Car. | 9 | 35 | 5 | 37 | 14 | 72 | 1 |
| 2022 | LAC | 13 | 44 | 1 | 9 | 14 | 53 | 2 |
| 2022 | at Was. | 11 | 52 | 3 | 19 | 14 | 71 | 0 |
| 2021 | at NYG | 7 | 20 | 6 | 82 | 13 | 102 | 0 |
| 2021 | at S.F. | 11 | 18 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 23 | 0 |
| 2021 | at T.B. | 7 | 11 | 5 | 58 | 12 | 69 | 2 |
| 2022 | Chi. | 10 | 52 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 59 | 0 |
| 2021 | Was. | 6 | 34 | 5 | 82 | 11 | 116 | 3 |
| 2021 | at Buf. | 9 | 28 | 2 | 24 | 11 | 52 | 0 |
| 2022 | Pit. | 11 | 60 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 60 | 0 |
| 2022 | at LAR | 10 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 41 | 0 |
| 2023 | at T.B. | 10 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 56 | 0 |
| 2021 | Phi. | 7 | 54 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 67 | 0 |
| 2022 | Cle. | 9 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 38 | 1 |
| 2022 | at Bal. | 8 | 17 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 31 | 0 |
| 2023 | Ind. | 7 | 26 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 33 | 0 |
| 2021 | Det. | 7 | 14 | 1 | -1 | 8 | 13 | 1 |
| 2023 | N.O. | 8 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 43 | 0 |
| 2022 | T.B. | 5 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 19 | 1 |
| 2022 | at Car. | 5 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 20 | 0 |
| 2023 | at NYJ | 5 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 17 | 0 |
| 2023 | at Car. | 5 | -2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 2021 | at Dal. | 4 | 25 | 1 | 14 | 5 | 39 | 0 |
| 2021 | N.O. | 4 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 0 |
| 2023 | at Ari. | 3 | 13 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 20 | 0 |
| 2023 | at N.O. | 5 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 20 | 0 |
Silver lining, perhaps, is that only one of his 10-touch games was last year. With Bijan Robinson on the roster, Patterson wasn't quite as busy, and he's a year older. The days of Patterson getting 15 touches in a game are over, and maybe 8-10 touches are also in the rear view mirror.
Patterson, of course, is also a four-time All-Pro returner. The NFL has adopted the XFL's kickoff rules, announced yesterday, which encourage returns (touchbacks will now be placed at the 35-yard line), but will supposedly reduce injuries on these plays by lining up tacklers nearer to where the ball is fielded, preventing running starts. There should be more productive returns, and maybe that's one of the drivers behind the Steelers scooping up Patterson.
But the history with his new coordinator concerns me. Patterson is 33 years old and the Steelers have Harris and Warren, but I see no reason to think he won't have at least some kind of an offensive role with Smith dialing up plays. Maybe it's a good thing for the Steelers, but it's probably not good for the incumbent running backs.
--Andy Richardson