Take a shot at Peterson
Corner worth it for Pats
After Stephon Gilmore and Jason McCourty, the Patriots have a young, talented stable of cornerbacks they’re grooming for the future.
But the trade deadline is a week away (Oct. 30), and the Cardinals’ Patrick Peterson, a seven-time Pro Bowler, has reportedly asked out of Arizona, and could be available.
Should the Patriots jump in?
Absolutely.
This falls in the win now philosophy. Tom Brady is 41. That window is closing. Sure, they have more glaring needs, like adding a coverage linebacker, or hybrid safety or someone who can handle a running back or tight end. The defense has been getting torched because no one has the wheels to cover either, and that’s the most pressing issue.
But if an elite player like this is available who can make the defense better a whole given the Brady window, and it’s possible to make it work with the salary cap, there’s three words that apply: Go for it.
Having him play opposite Stephon Gilmore would be an awesome pairing. It would make for the best corner combo in the league, and certainly be an upgrade from what we’ve seen out of McCourty, Eric Rowe, J.C. Jackson and whoever else the Pats have used out on the boundary.
It would be similar to when the Patriots brought in Darrelle Revis before the start of the 2014 season, after he was let go by Tampa Bay. The Gilmore-Peterson duo would essentially provide the same benefits as Revis and Brandon Browner did that first season, a championship season when the Patriots ultimately beat the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX.
Having a Gilmore-Peter- son pairing on the corners would allow the Patriots to play more man coverage. It would help the anemic pass rush because that would give head coach Bill Belichick and de facto defensive coordinator Brian Flores the green light to blitz more, and wreak more havoc with the quarterback.
Even though Cardinals coach Steve Wilks said Monday the team wouldn’t be trading Peterson, he’s not the general manager. It’s possible Wilks might have been trying to throw people off the scent and prevent a distraction for his struggling 1-6 team.
The Patriots, who are reportedly among the teams interested in Peterson, would likely be in competition with the Philadelphia Eagles and perhaps the Pittsburgh Steelers for his services. The Saints were also thought to be in the mix, but they acquired Eli Apple from the New York Giants.
Peterson is 28, and has played very well this year on a bad team. He has allowed just 16 catches on 28 targets for 134 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions this season for a passer rating allowed of just 39.9. Of course, he wouldn’t come cheaply. The Cardinals would probably want a firstround pick, and another pick or player.
Beyond that, whoever lands the three-time All-Pro corner will likely have to do some gymnastics with the cap to get him in the fold, as he has a base salary of $11 million both this year and next year. Thanks to Gilmore recently restructuring his deal, the Patriots have roughly $5.3 million in cap space. It’ll take some maneuvering for sure, but it’s not out of the realm.
Perhaps they’ll have others with high numbers restructure, or the Cardinals will help make the contract more attractive from their end.
While corner isn’t a top priority given their depth, statistically, the Patriots currently rank 25th in passing yards allowed, 25th in total yards allowed and 20th in points allowed. They’re going to need more help against the Chiefs down the road in the playoffs if they meet up again, that much is obvious after seeing the Week 6 showdown, won by the Patriots, 43-30. And, just during the regular season, trying to contain the Vikings and Steelers offenses with their receiving corps won’t be a picnic, either.
As we know, Belichick isn’t afraid to make a deadline deal. He’ll go for it. Whether it was bringing in Aqib Talib (2012), Akeem Ayers (2014), Akiem Hicks (2015) and Kyle Van Noy (2016), or shipping out Jamie Collins (2016) and Jimmy Garoppolo (2017), the Pats head coach and chief decision maker will flip a trade if he feels it’s necessary.
Or, if it’s just the right deal to make to improve his team.
If he can maneuver the cap details, and the price isn’t too outrageous, Peterson will be in play. They should take shot. It’s a nobrainer.