The NFC West was rocked on Thursday afternoon with the news that Patrick Peterson has been suspended for the first six games of the 2019 season for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
The eight-time Pro Bowler will miss Arizona’s regular-season opener against the Lions, then games at Baltimore, at home against the Panthers and Seahawks, at Cincinnati and at home against the Falcons. Peterson would be available to return for the Cardinals’ Week 7 contest versus the Giants. He is coming off one of his best seasons as a pro, posting a PFF grade of 83.7 in coverage.
Without Peterson on the roster, the Cardinals will be thin at cornerback. They’ll be limited to the Byron Murphy, the 33rd overall pick in last month’s draft, as well as Brandon Williams, Tramaine Brock and Robert Alford. There aren’t a ton of teams around the NFL with a lot of cornerback depth, but after a year of attrition and injuries, the Eagles are stacked at the position. If the Cardinals have any hopes of hanging around in playoff contention in the NFC West, a viable replacement for Peterson must be found.
Could Cardinals GM Steve Keim be tempted to trade for a player like Sidney Jones, Cre’Von LeBlanc or Jalen Mills for the right price?
It’s highly unlikely, but if he does go in search of a cornerback, Philadelphia will likely get the call.
