Moving on from Patrick Peterson was still the right choice for Arizona

Veteran defensive back Patrick Peterson once looked like the next Larry Wilson for the Arizona Cardinals, but at the cornerback position. 

Things got off to a fantastic start for Patrick Peterson, the 2011 first-round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals. He was historic on punt returns during his rookie season and then he became a lockdown corner for a handful of years.

But when Peterson got suspended for PEDs in 2019, it was the beginning of the end. Peterson’s play started to dip, and so did the overall play of the Cardinals. Eventually, when Peterson decided to start burning bridges, it was time to let him go.

Arizona made the correct choice by letting Peterson walk in free agency last year. The win over their former cornerback and the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2 was sweet as it could be.

While the Cardinals admittedly struggled down the stretch with cornerback injuries and play, it’s important to remember that this team started 7-0, whereas Minnesota was dinking around with a 3-5 record.

Peterson only did slightly better than his last Pro Bowl season with Arizona in terms of completion percentage when targeted (only a two percent increase). But, even then, that season didn’t matter as the Cardinals were atrocious with a 3-13 record.

Patrick Peterson can stay away from the  Arizona Cardinals as much as he wants

With Peterson’s most recent signing to go back to the Vikings for another year, it makes sense. But, of course, Peterson wouldn’t come back to the NFC West after he got torched in his later years by Seattle Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett and the plethora of other pass catchers that have played here.

Peterson also made insensitive comments about Malcolm Butler last year and tried putting a half-efforted “curse” on Butler just for taking his old number. Peterson’s No. 21 is now tainted because of how his time ended in Arizona. It seems like he expected a Larry Fitzgerald-like treatment after his departure from the Cardinals.

Arizona made the playoffs last season and Minnesota did not. It wasn’t pretty, but the Cardinals still got there.

Peterson’s still not a Hall of Famer and many Cardinals fans are happy he’s gone.