Report: Bears To Pursue Cordarrelle Patterson

With the NFL free agency 'tampering period' beginning today at noon, some rumors are starting to hit the street, and one of them emerged a little while ago concerning a Vikings WR and kick returner:

The Bears are also rumored to be on the short list for QB Mike Glennon...which, if I'm Cordarrelle Patterson, would make me less inclined to sign with them. I t hink the Vikings QB situation is a lot better off than what the Bears have to offer, and I think the team as a whole is in position to make a run. The Bears, though, seem to be going all in on rebuild, as they've released Jay Cutler, and Alshon Jeffery could very well sign elsewhere.

But whatever.

Patterson is worth a good look in free agency for a number of teams. His versatility, which will come at what's expected to be a fairly reasonable price considering other WR options that will hit the market, means the Vikings might have to slightly overpay to keep him. I'd like to think they can get a deal done to keep him in Minnesota, but the Bears have been a thorn in the side for the Vikings before when it comes to free agency.

Back in 2013, Phil Loadholt was a guy the Vikings expected to get back, but the Bears made a serious run at him, and it's thought the Vikings had to overpay to keep him from going to the Bears. That extra money, it was theorized, was behind the decision to release Antoine Winfield just a day later.

With about $40 million in cap space, the Vikings don't find themselves in that kind of situation today regarding Patterson, but they do have other needs to address. They have to get a couple offensive linemen, and to do so will probably have to overpay for at least one. Will that cause the Vikings to get outbid for Patterson, or will they be able to keep him?

We'll know soon enough.