Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson enters his 10th season in the NFL. He has been part of some terrible Cardinals teams and has been on some of the very best. He is very impressed with what the team has done in the offseason and goes as far to say he hasn’t been on a more talented team in his career.
“This is probably the best football teams I hav been a part of on paper,” he said on the Hyperice Lab podcast. “We’ve got young guys in the secondary, pass rushers and speed.”
He mentioned adding linebacker Isaiah Simmons, the season linebacker Jordan Hicks had, the addition of defensive lineman Jordan Phillips and defensive lineman Rashard Lawrence.
“What we’ve been able to add to this team this year, what the front office has been able to accomplish this offseason due to not being able to see guys, not being able to be around, it’s been second to none,” he said.
He believes the Cardinals have the talent to bring home a championship. It will take individual work and good player leadership.
“It’s not just going to happen by putting a bunch of pieces together,” he explained. “It’ going to happen by guys believing in the one goal, trusting in the guy that he’s doing whatever he needs to do behind closed doors to make sure that he’s prepared to put his best efforts forward and believe he’s going to get the job done when his number is called.”
He considers himself a leader on the team and mentioned other leaders like Chander Jones, Larry Fitzgerald and even Kyler Murray. The leaders will have to step up to keep the team on track.
“It’s going to come down to us to manage the locker room, manage the egos and make sure everybody is on the same page and understand that we have to commit to one another, believe in one another and trust one another,” he said. “If we do those three times, we can be in Tampa ready to face whoever and hopefully to bring the first Lombardi Trophy home to Arizona.”
The recipe is there. There is continuity in the staff and much of the roster. Where they added new players who could start, they are clear upgrades. If they come together quickly and stay relatively healthy, the Cardinals very well could be a team to surprise many.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.
Ep. 267
Ep. 266
