Pro Bowl perennial cornerback Patrick Peterson has agreed on a $ 10 million one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday.
Peterson, 30, leaves Arizona Cardinals as one of the best cornerbacks in the franchise’s history.
He went to eight consecutive Pro Bowls, starting with his debut year in 2011 and ending in 2019 – when he was ineligible because he was suspended for six games for violating drug policy to improve the NFL’s performance. Peterson is an All-Pro three times.
Peterson’s positional flexibility is a welcome asset for secondary Vikings who had two new beginners in 2020 between Jeff Gladney, who lined up in the vacancy for 529 pressures last season, and Cameron Dantzler, a third round choice that allowed for lowest passer rating in coverage among all novice corners in the second half of the season (41.9 for week 11-17).
With doubts about the health and future of the corner of the first round of 2018, Mike Hughes, whose fifth-year option is likely to be rejected by Minnesota, Peterson gives the Vikings stability in the secondary from a season in which he had seven past breaks, the biggest since 2013. Its three interceptions were the largest since 2016.
Peterson has been widely considered to be one of the best cornerbacks throughout his career, known for his ability to defend the main recipients from adversary attack one by one on an island. He started all 128 games in the first eight seasons of his career before his suspension. In 2020, he was nominated for the 2010-2019 Decade Selection by the Professional Football Hall of Fame.
Peterson played all 16 games last season and had 61 tackles and three interceptions. He has 28 interceptions in his career.
He joined the free agency after a five-year extension signed in 2014. Peterson requested a switch in October 2018 during Arizona’s sad 3-13 season under former coach Steve Wilks, but later apologized. However, reports of a fractured relationship between Peterson and the Cardinals office continued to circulate, which put his future with the franchise in doubt after his contract expired in March.
Courtney Cronin and Josh Weinfuss of ESPN contributed to this report.