Arizona Cardinals star cornerback has become a headache
By Jim Koch
Pro Bowl cover guy Patrick Peterson is starting to put a strain on his relationship with the Arizona Cardinals’ front office
Don’t look now, but the Arizona Cardinals’ front office may have a problem on their hands. For a short time this past Tuesday, the club’s draft plans took a back seat to another subject. A situation that has the potential to turn into a real powder keg for general manager Steve Keim and his cohorts.
Once again, rumors are circulating that cornerback Patrick Peterson is unhappy with the Cardinals. The 28-year old failed to show for a veteran minicamp, fueling speculation that the eight-time Pro Bowler may want to be traded. In fact, there was talk that the Kansas City Chiefs may have interest in acquiring the suddenly controversial Peterson.
In all fairness, the camp that Peterson was absent for was “voluntary.” Arizona head coach Kliff Kingsbury claimed to have spoken with the shutdown corner and promised that everything was fine. Nevertheless, Peterson missing a team activity that other established Cards were present for was still a cause for concern.
This isn’t the first time that Peterson’s name has been involved in trade gossip. The same thing happened back in October when the squad was going nowhere fast under former coach Steve Wilks. Peterson supposedly wanted out at the time, but Keim refused to grant him that request.
The chances of Peterson leaving the desert this time around are probably slim as well. Shutdown cover guys do not grow on trees. If the Cards expect to contend some time in the next couple of years, having Peterson on the roster would make reaching that goal much more manageable.
It’s hard to deny, however, that the former first-round draft pick has turned into a diva. The Cardinals, to their credit, have always seemed to steer clear of selfish players. The message boards following the latest report seemed to indicate that even the organization’s fans may be getting tired of Peterson’s crybaby antics.
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Hopefully, the scuttlebutt surrounding Peterson wanting out will once again go away. Arizona is in no position to be dealing away talented performers. And Peterson, despite his faults, is without question among the NFL’s best.