Almost all of the big-name free agents have signed contracts and the 2020 draft is in the rearview mirror, but we still have a long way to go before the NFL season gets underway and there are still moves to be made between now and then.
As we head into what’s typically the dead period of the NFL calendar, I’ve picked out five moves that I’d like to see before the start of training camp … whenever that is.
We’ve split this up into five pages, one for each proposed move. You can either read straight through or jump straight to a specific page using these links…
Cardinals trade Patrick Peterson | Patriots sign Cam Newton | Browns sign Larry Warford | Titans sign Jadeveon Clowney | Vikings trade for Curtis Samuel
1. Cardinals trade Patrick Peterson
This would certainly be a move for the future but that’s the mindset the Cardinals should be in right now. The whole “go all-in while you have a QB on a rookie contract” has produced mixed results and there are far too many holes on the roster as it’s currently constructed to elevate it enough to the point Arizona could compete with the NFL’s heavyweights. The Cardinals need to be patient, build their cache of assets and try to set Kyler Murray up with a deep and talented roster.
Shopping Peterson for draft picks is one way to do that. And it’s vital they move him sooner rather than later. The veteran corner is entering the final year of his deal and is coming off a down season that was shortened by a PED suspension.
I’m not even sure trading away Peterson hurts the Cardinals in the short-term all that much. He’s been on the decline for two straight seasons, which shows up in his man coverage numbers. While his man coverage snaps have decreased over the last three seasons, his EPA allowed per coverage snap has been on the rise, going from 0.01 in 2017 to 0.06 in 2018 and jumping up to 0.11 in 2019.
The film backs up what the numbers are telling us. Peterson’s athleticism is starting to wane and he’s having a harder time sticking to opposing receivers.
He earned a coverage grade of 64.3 from Pro Football Focus in 2019, the lowest grade he’s put up in five years. Arizona needs to get whatever they can for Peterson before the rest of the league picks up on this trend — if it hasn’t already.