Raiders’ Cordarrelle Patterson: ‘I don’t run away from competition’

Friends texted Cordarrelle Patterson the news Thursday that his new quarterback, Derek Carr, had just signed a five-year contract extension worth $125 million.

It was just another reason for the wide receiver to be happy about joining the Oakland Raiders as a free agent.

‘It’s a blessing from the sky to be a part of the organization’

“All the hard work I just saw him do in the offseason (rehabilitating from a broken leg); man, it’s amazing,” Patterson told Bruce Murray and Kirk Morrison on the SiriusXM Blitz. “It looked like he never got injured, the way he worked. And it’s a blessing from the sky to be a part of the organization.

“Every quarterback I’ve been with, it’s been a blessing to play with each one of those guys. And being around Derek Carr, how humble he is and just the energy he brings to the offense. His leader(ship) and his motivation, it just drives every player on the offense. Not even offense, the defense. To see the kind of spirit he brings, it’s a blessing from the sky.”

‘I have high expectations for myself’

Patterson’s job now is to convince Carr to throw the ball his way. It won’t be easy, because the Raiders have other targets and Patterson needs to rebound from his disappointing production with his previous team, the Minnesota Vikings.

“The thing about me, I don’t run away from competition,” Patterson said. “I like to go to it. But I want to go somewhere and compete and have an opportunity to be with a great organization and just having fun out there. The production in Minnesota, it wasn’t as I expected. I have high expectations for myself.

‘No one else can do it, but you’ve got to go out there and keep grinding’

“No one else can do it, but you’ve got to go out there and keep grinding and whatever happens in the past, it happens. I’m happy where I’m at right now and I’m just looking forward and just ready to start this new journey.”