Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman has acknowledged that wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson has to improve the level of his game to become an integral part of the club's offense.
The NFC North side traded back into the first round of the 2013 Draft to select Patterson, and were rewarded when he made a few impact plays as a rookie.
However, the 24-year-old struggled in the 2014 campaign with his route running, leaving Spielman to concede that the wideout has a lot of work to do to reach his best form in the NFL.
"There's no question he is, again there's another young guy that came out early and made a splash his rookie year because of his unique speed and his unique athletic traits," Spielman told The Star Tribune.
"Sometimes you have to go through some growing pains where you have to realize it's more than just that. It's more than just relying on your athletic skill set and what it takes to be a great receiver in this league.
"I think Cordarrelle has really grown up a lot. I know what he has done this offseason dedicating himself to being the best receiver he can be, and how serious he is taking that, we're very excited about the future with Cordarrelle."
Patterson recorded 33 receptions for 384 yards and one touchdown in the 2014 season.
Simon Sinclair
