Cordarrelle Patterson
After being drafted as a wide receiver by the Vikings in 2013, Cordarrelle Patterson’s rushing career didn’t gain momentum until he joined the Falcons in 2021, where he proved to be a versatile threat. In that season, he recorded 695 rushing yards and six touchdowns, along with 548 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
In the previous season, Patterson took a lesser role with just 50 carries, as rookie Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier took the spotlight. However, despite being 33 years old, Patterson, a four-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro returner, still possesses value for an NFL team.
With his imposing physical stature of 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, Patterson could be an excellent addition to the San Francisco 49ers, providing a complementary presence alongside last year’s leading rusher, Christian McCaffrey. Another potential destination could be the Los Angeles Rams, as their quarterback coach, Dave Ragone, previously served as Patterson’s offensive coordinator in 2021, which could contribute to Ragone advocating for his signing behind the scenes.
Kareem Hunt
Throughout the previous season, the Cleveland Browns relied on running backs Kareem Hunt and Jerome Ford to maintain their ground game’s effectiveness after Nick Chubb suffered a knee injury in Week 2. Ford outperformed Hunt by accumulating 402 more rushing yards, but Hunt displayed exceptional prowess in the red zone, achieving a career-high of nine touchdowns.
However, with the recent signings of D’Onta Foreman and Nyheim Hines, the Browns no longer have space for Hunt and are unlikely to afford his projected salary of $4.5 million for the upcoming season. It is improbable that he will receive such a substantial contract from a contender. Nonetheless, if he is open to accepting a deal closer to the veteran minimum, teams like the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, and Carolina Panthers could be potential fits for him.
J.K. Dobbins
Despite encountering a string of unfortunate injuries, 25-year-old running back J.K. Dobbins had showcased immense potential during his rookie season in 2020, accumulating 925 yards and nine touchdowns. His performance indicated that he had the potential to become one of the NFL’s top running backs.
However, since then, Dobbins has been plagued by various injuries, causing him to miss a significant number of regular-season games. Out of a possible 67 games, he has been sidelined for 43. In 2021, he sat out the entire season due to an ACL tear, followed by missing nine more games in 2022. Additionally, in the 2023 season opener, he tore his Achilles tendon, allowing him to participate in only one game.
Nonetheless, Dobbins’ impressive average of 5.8 yards per carry remains a positive aspect on paper, and teams may consider taking a calculated risk on him, given his projected market value of $2.1 million per year. If any team experiences the loss of a running back during minicamp or the preseason, Dobbins could be a potential candidate to receive the first call as a replacement.
