More than a few of our hyped-up "Making the Leap" candidates have failed to do anything close.
Montee Ball has landed with a thud; Toby Gerhart has lost his starting backfield job to a former college quarterback; and our No. 1 choice, Vikings wideout Cordarrelle Patterson, has tumbled from the 70-catch, 1,100-yard season Around the NFL anticipated.
The Vikings have tried to get Patterson involved in the passing game, but coach Mike Zimmer last week questioned his route running, telling reporters that the second-year wideout is partly responsible for the rash of missed connections with rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
"We're trying to get Cordarrelle involved in the offense," Zimmer said, per The Star Tribune. "We'd love for him to be involved but guys have to make sure that they are in the right places all the time."
Play-caller Norv Turner saw Patterson haul in a season-high six catches for 86 yards against the Bucs in Week 8, but the wideout followed it up with just one catch in Sunday's win over the Redskins. The lackluster outing saw Patterson muff a bubble screen and fail to separate from coverage.
"We completed 26 balls the other day," Turner said Thursday, per the newspaper. "I don't care who they go to, to be honest with you."
Turner's pass-happy system -- which unleashed Josh Gordon for a league-leading 1,646 yards in Cleveland last year -- has tried to get Patterson involved. The receiver has been targeted more than any other Viking during Bridgewater's five starts. Among skill players, only Greg Jennings has more snaps for Minnesota in 2014.
"I just got to get open," Patterson said Thursday, per the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "I just got to just find myself, just to get open, just to help Teddy out."
Asked how he plans to aid his young quarterback, Patterson answered: "Just getting off the line. If the (defensive back) gets in your face, show him who's the boss."
That's not something we've seen enough of from the player we marked for a titanic campaign.
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