Getty Patrick Peterson
If the Dallas Cowboys cannot or will not acquire Jamal Adams, they may move on to Plan P — Patrick Peterson.
NFLAnalysis.net named Dallas among five “way-too-early landing spots” for the longtime Arizona Cardinals star cornerback, who’s scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in 2021.
Jamal Adams is a name that has been linked the the Cowboys in a trade. It is unlikely that this move gets done anytime soon. A likely option could be Peterson is free agency. Jerry Jones likes to make big splash moves and this would fall under that category. The Cowboys are in a position where they need to win and win soon.
Dallas drafted Trevon Diggs in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Chidobe Awuzie is entering the final year of his contract. Diggs will get some valuable experience as a rookie and this will prepare him for the upcoming years. It would behoove Dallas to put a player of Patrick Peterson’s caliber on the other side of Diggs for years to come.
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Background on P²
One of the most talented and consistent defensive backs of this generation, Peterson is an eight-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro, with 384 solo tackles, 83 pass breakups, and 25 interceptions to his name across 10 seasons, all in Arizona.
Drafted No. 5 overall in 2011, the 6-foot-1, 203-pound corner is known for his airtight coverage and dual-threat playmaking ability; he’s chipped in over 1,800 punt-return yards (9.3 career yards per return average) and four touchdowns, and 64 receiving yards on 10 catches, three of which went for first downs.
Father Time could be catching up to the 30-year-old, who failed to play a full 16-game schedule last season for the first time as a pro. But his seven PBUs, two INTs and one sack in 10 appearances proved there’s still gas left in Peterson’s tank.
The Cowboys received an up-close look at his skill-set in 2018, when he pick-sixed quarterback Cooper Rush amid a preseason loss to the Cardinals. It was classic Peterson: reading Rush’s eyes, jumping Tavon Austin’s route, and scampering to the house.
PP to Big D?
The front office eschewed paying former CB1 Byron Jones, who landed an $82.5 million deal from the Dolphins in March, so it appears unlikely they’d crack open their pocketbook for Peterson — not before QB Dak Prescott, anyway.
Part of the reason they allowed Jones to walk? The Cowboys are genuinely high on fourth-year man Jourdan Lewis, a potential 2020 breakout candidate. The team also shored up the position this offseason by signing veteran Maurice Canady and burning second- and fourth-round draft picks on Trevon Diggs and Reggie Robinson, respectively.
Lewis would have to completely crash and burn as Jones’ replacement, and Diggs would need to develop unexpectedly slowly, for Dallas to consider pursuing Peterson on the open market, assuming he even gets that far.
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