Patterson (undisclosed) returned to practice Wednesday, Jeff Schultz of The Athletic reports.
Patterson has been sitting out drills since at least Aug. 14 due to a unknown soft-tissue injury, but his ability to get back on the field Wednesday bodes well for his Week 1 status. If he's able to suit up Sunday against the Panthers, he'll be serving in a "Joker" role, as the Falcons termed him on their first official depth chart of the season Tuesday, per Amna Subhan of the team's official site. What exactly his role entails is uncertain, but with Atlanta lacking depth at wide receiver behind Drake London and boasting a strong running-back duo of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, Patterson may be used all over the formation in 2023.