Arizona Cardinals from A to Z: Patrick Peterson

Player profile of CB Patrick Peterson as Arizona Cardinals training camp continues

As we have reached the end of the third week of Arizona Cardinals training camp, we continue our annual look at the roster player by player.  I look at what they’ve done, where they are now and how I project each player’s status at the end of camp.

We go from A to Z and continue with CB Patrick Peterson. Peterson enters his fifth season with the Cardinals.

2014 season: What can you say about Peterson’s 2014 season?  It was dismal, at least in many fans eyes compared to his first three seasons in the NFL.  He played in all 16 games last season, however he only finished with three interceptions and just seven passes defensed.  Ironically he returned his first ever interception for a touchdown.  That happened in the same game the Cardinals lost quarterback Carson Palmer in November against the St. Louis Rams. It turns out Peterson did have an issue that was only disclosed after the season.  He was suffering from diabetes.

2015 season projection: Peterson is healthy again and ready to get back to old form.  He hasn’t missed a game in his four-year career despite the ups and downs.  The Cardinals are even considering putting back in the return game.  We’ll see if that actually pans out or not but the way Peterson has looked in camp I would not be surprised to see him set a career-high in interceptions this season.

Peterson should have that bounce-back year many are expecting.  I like the thought process of using Peterson only occasionally in punt returns this season.  His main focus needs to be on defense but I think they need to tap into his other talents when the situation is deemed necessary.