The Bears on Wednesday announced that they have agreed to terms, pending a physical, with Cordarrelle Patterson on a two-year contract.
The versatile Patterson is one of the NFL's top kick returners as well as a playmaking receiver who also has been utilized at times as a running back.
In six NFL seasons with the Vikings (2013-16), Raiders (2017) and Patriots (2018), Patterson has appeared in 95 games with 29 starts. The 6-2, 228-pounder has averaged 30.0 yards and scored six touchdowns on 176 kickoff returns, caught 184 passes for 1,872 yards and 10 TDs and rushed for 687 yards and seven touchdowns on 184 carries.
Patterson, who will turn 28 on St. Patrick's Day, was selected by the Vikings with the 29th pick in the first round of the 2013 draft out of Tennessee. He was voted first-team All-Pro and selected to the Pro Bowl as a return specialist both as a rookie and again in 2016.
Patterson scored his first NFL touchdown in his second career game on Sept. 15, 2013 at Soldier Field when he returned the opening kickoff 105 yards in an eventual 31-30 loss to the Bears. Later in his rookie season, he set an NFL record by returning a kickoff 109 yards for a TD in a 44-31 loss to the Packers.
Patterson scored a second TD against the Bears last Oct. 21 on a 95-yard kickoff return to help lead the Patriots to a 38-31 win at Soldier Field.
In the days leading up to last year's game, Bears special teams coordinator Chris Tabor was asked about facing Patterson.
"He's dangerous," Tabor said at the time. "You need to get in front of this guy. That's a locomotive coming downhill. Really good player. He's ripped off a couple earlier in the year, so we're well aware of him. We need to do a good job there."
Patterson joins a Bears team that ranked last in the NFL in kickoff returns last season with a 19.1-yard average.
Take a look at new Bears WR Cordarrelle Patterson in action. During his six-year career, Patterson has scored seven rushing touchdowns, 10 receiving touchdowns and six kick return touchdowns.
