Chargers 90-in-90: WR Andre Patton

Andre Patton had the convenience of playing football within the last 4 months as he was an original member of the AAF’s Birmingham Iron. With not as much dust on the tires, Patton will be looking to take advantage once the Chargers begin training camp on July 25th.

A former Rutgers Knight, Patton enjoyed a respectable career in New York, finishing his senior season with 33 catches for 460 yards and five touchdowns. His five scores led the team and placed him ninth in the Big Ten during the 2016 season.

Patton was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent following the 2017 NFL Draft. He has since stuck with the team and will now strive for a chance to be the last receiver kept by the Chargers on the active roster.

Basic Info

Height: 6-3
Weight: 210
College: Rutgers
Experience: 2
Years with team: 2

Contract Status

“Andre Patton signed a 1 year, $495,000 contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, including an average annual salary of $495,000. In 2019, Patton will earn a base salary of $495,000, while carrying a cap hit of $495,000.” - Spotrac.com

The Good

At 6-foot-3, Patton fits right in with the rest of the Chargers top receivers as Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-4, respectively.

Patton was the top target for his Iron quarterback, Luis Perez, during their eight games together. It was visible from the outset that Patton was a cut above the rest of the wideouts in the AAF and he should hope to parlay that into some increased attention throughout the month of August.

The Bad

He wasn’t that productive in college and hasn’t been able to crack a starting line-up that wasn’t in a developmental league.

Patton gained some vital experience while playing in the Alliance of American Football but he stills finds himself in a stacked wide receiver group with players that have either much more experience or much more upside.

Odds of making the roster/What to expect in 2019

As much as I like Patton and as much as I enjoy a team full of tall skill positions players, I don’t think he has much of a chance to crack the roster when the coaching staff is so high on guys like Geremy Davis and Artavis Scott, who usually dominate the preseason before snagging the final two spots on the roster.

Patton is likely the first receiver they will stash on the practice squad and will get the first call up if injuries occur.

Fun Fact: Patton is an avid yoga enthusiast who believes that yoga has helped him be a better football player, and a better boyfriend.