jersey swap: Burgh Creative; Pickett: Getty
While NFL teams attempt to keep the core defensive schemes they’re devising under wraps during the offseason, sometimes players let little details trickle out. Veteran defensive back Patrick Peterson, who signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in March, was one of those players.
Peterson let a secret slip in discussing minicamp practices on the June 19 episode of the All Things Covered podcast. “Today honestly was like the first glimpse of me really,” said Peterson. “I had my three weeks here, just kind of trying to learn my way, learning a new position and moving all over the field, just trying to learn what I need to do.”
Wait. Hold up. Rewind. A new position?
Whatever spot he’s referencing, it’s messing with Kenny Pickett‘s head. “I got approval from my starting quarterback who played in this league and has seen a bunch of coverages in his young career. He said, ‘Man, when you line up at this certain position, that f—- me up.'”
Peterson’s response? The old man seemingly egged on the youngster, “Okay.”
Kenny Pickett with a priceless reaction to Pat P moving around on defense throughout the spring 😂😂
Latest episode featuring @P2 minicamp reactions 👇 #HereWeGo @BMac_SportsTalk
t.co/Lgk1CioMSg
Patrick Peterson’s New Position With the Pittsburgh Steelers
Former Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden — Peterson’s cousin and host of ATC — caught his accidental revelation. When called out on it, he said, “Doggone it.”
“I didn’t say it, I just caught it,” McFadden said, laughing. “But what new position? I’ve known you to be an outside corner, locked in, but what are you talking about? What new position are you learning?”
Peterson made an effort to backtrack and cover it up, but the cat was already out of the bag. “Just having the opportunity to be a ball player, and that is what coach Mike T and the Pittsburgh Steelers are giving me the opportunity to do. That’s all I’m gonna say, man.”
Exactly what new position, though, was never revealed, but McFadden speculated based on the positions Peterson has played. “You heard it from the source himself,” he said. “Pat P ain’t just lining up at an outside corner, so now you’re getting a kind of new glimpse of what this new defense is going to look like. Pat P might be in the safety position, the nickel, the dime — he’s gonna be moving around all a lot of different places. We got to wait and to see exactly where but he’s not going to be where he’s usually been throughout his professional career.”
The corner has put on a Hall of Fame-worthy performance in his dozen-year career playing primarily as a wide corner (lined up outside or over the wide receiver; 11,218 snaps), per advanced stats at Pro Football Focus. He’s also played in the slot (818 snaps) and as a box corner (645 snaps). A spot he’s rarely dabbled in is free safety (11 snaps) which, of course, is Minkah Fitzpatrick‘s specialty, and strong safety (no snaps).
“What I’m gonna say is, I saw in the news, (secondary) coach Grady (Brown) said they plan on using me like they used Cam Sutton,” Peterson said.
As McFadden said, we’ve got to wait and see.