The situation on the Arizona Cardinals has apparently gotten much better for star cornerback Patrick Peterson. He requested a trade during the season. He backtracked from that request after speaking with team president Michael Bidwill. He apologized while playing golf.
Now, it appears, he never wants to leave, according to new head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
“I’ve had one dinner with Pat and he seems fired up to me,” he said the NFL combine. “I know getting Robert (Alford) on the other side was exciting for him. They’re friends, so he’s excited to be a Cardinal and he wants to be a Cardinal for the rest of his career. That’s the last time I spoke to him.”
Peterson was frustrated with the losing and not being used the way he likes to play. With a new coach and new energy, with a defense that will feature him following opponents’ best receiver and a teammate on the other side of the field he believes in, he is apparently back on board.
It will be interesting to watch moving forward. He has two years remaining on his contract. Will the Cardinals seek to extend his contract and give him the Larry Fitzgerald treatment? Or is this newfound energy temporary, lasting only until there is some adversity again?
Whatever the reason, it gives Cardinals fans a reason to be optimistic. If the team’s arguably most important defensive player is back on board, then fans should be willing to buy in again.
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