September wasn’t the best month for the Vikings as a team as they went 1-3, but there were some bright spots.
First-round pick Cordarrelle Patterson’s work as a kick returner is one of them and the NFL thought enough of the rookie’s work to make him the NFC special teams player of the month.
Patterson leads the league with a 33.8-yard average on kickoff returns and returned one kick 105 yards for a touchdown against the Bears earlier this season. Given his penchant for returning kicks that go well into the end zone, Patterson could wind up with an even longer return if he finds the right creases.
The Vikings have been less successful getting Patterson involved on offense. He’s caught six passes for 82 yards through the first four games and played only a handful of offensive snaps, leading coach Leslie Frazier to say recently that he wants to see more of Patterson on offense.