The Arizona Cardinals have all offseason to prepare for cornerback Patrick Peterson’s six-game suspension. It will be a big loss but the team and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has confidence in the players at the position behind Peterson to step up and play well in his absence.
“It has an impact,” he said on the Coaches Chronicle podcast. “He’s a great player but we do have guys on the back end who have played a lot of ball.”
He named three veterans in Robert Alford, Tramaine Brock and David Amerson as guys who can step in, as well as rookie second-round pick Byron Murphy.
What did he say about each of these four players?
Robert Alford
Alford has started 76 games in his career and has 10 career interceptions. He is coming off a season in which he struggled.
“Alford’s a guy that’s been a good player for a long time and he’s excited to be here,” Joseph said. He’s still young. He’s in great shape. He’s very competitive. He’s here to reprove himself, so to speak.”
He was projected to be the starter opposite Peterson and therefore is projected to be the top player on the depth chart once the season begins and Peterson’s suspension commences.
“He knows being opposite Pat P., that’s a pressure-packed position because of the work he’s going to get, but he’s excited about that,” he said.
Tramaine Brock
Brock has played in 103 career games and started 45. He has 11 career interceptions in his nine seasons in the league.
“Tramaine Brock is a player that I’ve had twice now, once in San Fran as a rookie and once in Denver as a veteran player,” Joseph said. “He’s always a guy that plays well. He’s never a guy we talk about, but on game day he’s a guy that’s making plays all the time.”
He is the first player to have a shot at starting while Peterson is out opposite Alford.
David Amerson
Amerson has played six seasons in the NFL. He has appeared in 74 games, starting 61. He started five games for the Cardinals in 2018 after getting signed in the second half of the season.
“Obviously Amerson’s a high pick who has played good football,” Joseph said about him. “He’s a long corner. He’s experienced and he’s tough and competitive.”
Byron Murphy
Murphy is a rookie. He was drafted 33rd overall by Arizona in the second round of the draft but they had him rated as the fifth-best player in the draft.
“Murphy is a young kid who wants to be good,” he said.
Could he be the starter?
“That’s a tall order for a rookie, but he’s up for it,” Joseph explained. “He’s a smart player.”
He noted they have him working on three different roles in the spring.
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