It was just a couple of seasons ago when Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson requested a trade. Then he changed his mind. Then he was suspended for using PEDs and covering it up. Then he played poorly for much of last season. Then he played well.
The Cardinals are a team on the rise. For The Win’s Steve Ruiz makes the case that they should trade him, thinking ahead to the future, and that it might not even hurt them too much in the present.
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.
Here is the thing. The Cardinals, whether it be the head coach, general manager or owner all have been very clear they will not trade Peterson. In fact, it seems more likely he will get a contract extension.
The Cardinals quietly believe they can compete as early as this year. They went out and filled major holes on defense and then added a star receiver.
They didn’t do anything at cornerback or at safety because they believe in the players they have. And the truth is, even if Peterson isn’t playing his best football, going from Peterson, Robert Alford and Byron Murphy to Alford, Murphy and either Chris Jones or Kevin Peterson is a steep dropoff.
The Cardinals had the worst pass defenses in the league last season in almost every category. They have vowed to give defensive coordinator Vance Joseph a chance to succeed.
That doesn’t happen by trading Peterson.
And while future picks are nice, top cover cornerbacks who can defend man-to-man are tough to find.
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Ep. 267
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Ep. 266
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