Getty Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard.
While many are getting caught up in Las Vegas Raiders quarterback rumors, the team’s focus this offseason is likely on the defense. Regardless of how you feel about Derek Carr, the Raiders had a top-10 offense in 2020 while the defense was a mess. They need to find some more veteran playmakers and they need to do it on a limited budget.
NBA superstar Damian Lillard recently finished up his pitch to Richard Sherman and now he’s pleading with Patrick Peterson to join the silver and black.
@raiders please go get Patrick Peterson
Peterson just finished up his contract with the Arizona Cardinals and it appears he’ll head to free agency. He’s been one most consistent defenders in the NFL over the last decade. He was elected to a Pro Bowl each of his first eight years in the league. Peterson hasn’t been playing at an elite level over the last two years and is probably no longer considered a shutdown cornerback.
That said, he’s a very good leader and is still an above-average cornerback. The Raiders would be wise to at least take a look at him.
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Peterson Doesn’t Know What the Future Holds
It’s hard to imagine watching Peterson play a game in anything other than a Cardinals uniform. He’s been in Arizona for 10 seasons now and has been an excellent player and leader for the team. Though he’s no longer an elite talent, it still makes sense for the two sides to stick together. Rumors recently circulated that Peterson and the Cardinals were parting ways but he debunked that notion.
“There is no real update,” Peterson said about his future, via the Cardinals’ team website. “It is just what you said it was: A dirty rumor. … Me and the team haven’t talked about contracts, we haven’t talked about parting ways. That’s just what it is, a dirty rumor. I don’t know where (the reporter) got his insight from, but that was a dirty rumor.”
While Peterson doesn’t sound like he’s made a decision, there’s still plenty of time. The Cardinals have put together a solid team and could compete for a playoff spot in 2021. If Peterson is willing to take a hometown discount, he’s probably going to stay put and finish his career as a Cardinal.
Raiders Could Target Other Veteran CB
It’s obvious the Raiders have serious issues in pass defense. The team allowed over 263 yards per game through the air, which was 25th in the NFL. Spending big money on a cornerback sounds like a good move but the Raiders’ have their hands tied. They used a second-round pick on Trayvon Mullen in 2019 and a first-round pick on Damon Arnette last year. Las Vegas has to at least try to get those two men to work.
If the Raiders address cornerback in free agency, the likely move will be to target a veteran with strong leadership skills. Richard Sherman seems like the most logical fit. He’s played under new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley before and Jon Gruden recently couldn’t hide the fact that he’d love to add an “alpha.” Sherman to Las Vegas makes a lot of sense.
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