The Biggest contracts in Arizona Cardinals history
By Kyler Burd
Patrick Peterson was paid big by the Arizona Cardinals
Although the franchise has boasted some greats at this position like Aeneas Williams, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that the highest-paid cornerback in Cardinals history is Patrick Peterson.
In 2014 he signed a massive 5-year, $70 million contract that, at the time, completely reset the cornerback market.
Arizona drafted Peterson with the 5th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and completely changed the Cardinals’ secondary. He was selected for the Pro Bowl every single year from 2011 to 2018 and was also a three-time First-Team All-Pro in the same period.
It is undeniable how impactful Peterson was for a long stretch of his time with Arizona, including being a member of the daunted “No Fly Zone” that featured Tyrann Mathieu, Tony Jefferson, Jerraud Powers, and Rashad Johnson.
Unfortunately, Peterson’s level of play and legacy in Arizona was marred by a six-week suspension at the beginning of the 2020 season. He never seemed the same when he returned, and the numbers bear out a marked drop in production from the former lockdown corner.
Was the deal worth it?
When the deal was signed in 2014, Peterson was a clear-cut favorite for the title of Best NFL cornerback. His production up to that point was clearly worthy of a huge contract and was worth resetting the value of cornerbacks.
No one at the time could have foreseen the suspension and drop-off in play, so no one in the organization could be held liable for that.
As sad as it is that Peterson will not end his career as an Arizona Cardinal, he did deserve the money he got back in 2014.