Chicago Bears Free Agency: Grades, implications of initial signings

Wide Receiver/Kick Returner Cordarrelle Patterson

Deal: 2-year, $10 million

This is the signing I am most excited about, thus far. Just look at the raw numbers. Only $5 million per year for a guy who boasts the second-best career kickoff return average (30.0 yards) in NFL history.

Who’s in first? A man by the name of Gale Sayers, who averaged 30.6 yards per kickoff return.

Cordarrelle Patterson is one of the best return specialists of all-time, although he isn’t talked about enough when it comes to that conversation. Last year, the Bears were dead last in the NFL in kick return average — just about 18 yards per return.

The simple fact that Chicago is plugging one of the biggest holes on the roster, with one of the best to ever do it (and still only 27 years old) at a measly $5 million per season is absolutely phenomenal work by Ryan Pace.

That’s not it, though.

Patterson is one of the more exciting players in the NFL with the ball in his hands in the open field. Imagine an offense with Patterson, Cohen and Taylor Gabriel on the field at the same time.

Those are some packages I cannot wait to see Nagy cook up. Defenses are going to have a hard time dealing with all of that speed and versatility.

Last year, Patterson played running back at times as well. If you remember, the New England Patriots struggled with injuries in the back field and, instead of signing someone off the streets, they chose to throw Patterson back there and give him a chance — and it worked better than expected.

Patterson is yet another Swiss Army knife for Matt Nagy, but more importantly, a huge answer at a position of dire need. This was a fantastic addition.

Grade: A+