Former Washington Commanders running back Jaret Patterson has a new NFL home. The Los Angeles Chargers signed Patterson to their practice squad on Wednesday.
Uncertainty lies in Chargers star running back Austin Ekeler, who is nursing an ankle injury. Therefore, the Chargers got proactive in bringing in Patterson.
The 5-foot-8 Patterson gained fame in college playing at the University of Buffalo. As a junior, he tied a Football Bowl-Subdivision record with eight rushing touchdowns in a Nov. 28, 2020 game against Kent State. He also rushed for 409 yards in that game just short of the FBS record of 427 yards held by another former Commanders running back Samaje Perine.
Despite rushing for 3,884 yards and 52 in 33 college games, Patterson went undrafted in 2021. He signed with his hometown Washington Commanders. The Commanders’ home stadium, FedEx Field, is roughly eight miles from Patterson’s native Glen Dale, Maryland.
Patterson made the Commanders’ roster as a rookie. He rushed for 266 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. In his second year, Patterson spent most of the season on the practice squad but appeared in three games.
This year, Jaret Patterson had an impressive showing throughout training camp and preseason. However, Washington waived him during final cuts. The team did not bring Patterson back on the practice squad.
Instead, he worked out with the Indianapolis Colts, the Buffalo Bills, and Cleveland Browns in the past two weeks.
Ekeler, who did not practice Wednesday to attend the funeral of his agent Cameron Weiss, is dealing with an ankle injury. Ekeler rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown in the Chargers’ Week 1 loss to the Miami Dolphins. He split the carries 16 a piece with Joshua Kelley, who had 91 yards and one touchdown.
Patterson also can return kickoffs. He became a fan-favorite with the Washington faithful. Now, he will look to make his mark on the opposite coast in Los Angeles.
