Once again, Patten is in a good New place

By Chris Cluff  |   Wednesday, August 29, 2007  |  Comments( 1 )

New Orleans Saints
Got something to say?

Log In above and share your thoughts on this topic with other fans!

If there had been any doubt, David Patten put an end to it. With six catches for 75 yards and a touchdown against Kansas City last weekend, the New Orleans Saints' newest and oldest receiver guaranteed himself a spot in the rotation and also put the heat on Devery Henderson.

With projected starters Marques Colston (knee) and Henderson (hamstring) out, Patten put together an excellent outing - marred only by the drop of a perfectly thrown ball that would have put him over 100 yards. Henderson, 25, has missed the past two games, and the 33-year-old Patten might be pushing the younger receiver for the starting spot opposite Colston.

It would be quite a revival for Patten, an 11-year veteran who was a key contributor to the New England Patriots' three Super Bowl victories.

Undrafted out of Western Carolina, Patten found his way into the NFL with the New York Giants in 1997. After three years there as a deep reserve, he went to Cleveland for a year and then got scooped up by the Patriots in 2001 - just in time to help them win their first Super Bowl.

In four seasons in New England, he caught 165 passes for 2,513 yards and 16 touchdowns. Then he left when the Washington Redskins threw a five-year, $13 million deal at him.

But that's about all the Redskins threw at him. He never found a role in Joe Gibbs' offense. In 2005, he caught 22 passes for 217 yards in nine games before being placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. And he returned last year to catch just one pass before being released after the fifth contest.

"Basically the last two years, I've been unproductive," Patten told the Biloxi Sun Herald in early August. "I had one catch for 24 yards last year."

The Saints signed him to a one-year contract to bring a veteran presence to a youthful receiving corps - Colston is in his second year, while Henderson and Terrance Copper are in their fourth seasons.

"Now I'm the elder statesman," Patten said. "It's my duty to make sure I've got all the young guns around me with a positive mentality and let them know they are the men now."

Quarterback Drew Brees said the team needed a team-first veteran like Patten.

"I think obviously from a productivity standpoint, I think he's going to do a great job for us with as much ability as we have to spread the field," Brees said. "I know that he's going to get a lot of opportunities. Also with his veteran leadership and mentorship with those younger receivers, I think he's doing a great job."

Get the most original New Orleans Saints coverage at RealFootball365.com
Got something to say?

Log In above and share your thoughts on this topic with other fans! (1)

About Chris Cluff

Chris Cluff spent 10 years as an editor and sportswriter for The Seattle Times. He was a key figure in the newspaper's coverage of the Seahawks, particularly during their Super Bowl run in 2005. He also has written two books on the Seahawks: "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Heart-Pounding, ...
read more
Article Tools Share!   |  RSS  |  Bleacher Report About Bleacher Report