5 disappointments halfway through Chicago Bears season

4. Cordarelle Patterson usage

Now that we are one and a half years into the Cordarelle Patterson experiment it is time to call it what it is. Patterson is elite on special teams. Not only in the kick return game, but as a gunner, Patterson has a role that will keep him in the NFL long past his prime. The issue with Patterson is his usage on offense.

Patterson is technically a wide receiver, but he does not run routes well, and is not refined. He is not a running back, but is so fast and big that he can take carries and break tackles. The issue is finding the right role for him.

To be fair, no one can. Even the Patriots let Patterson walk after getting the most out of him. Still, the idea was that the creative Matt Nagy could make it work. The reality is that Patterson is a gimmick player and when he is on the field it is a red flag something is up.

Patterson has 13 catches for 78 yards, an awful average that is down from 11 catches for 83 yards last year. Beyond that he has 26 carries for 75 yards, That is a 2.9 yard per rush average. He came into the year averaging over seven yards per rush.

The best plays Patterson makes are when the Bears fake him the ball and attention go to him. This frees up plays for others. Aside from that he has been all but useless on the offense. Whether the Bears need to adjust or scrap the plan altogether will be their call, but something has to change.