Patrick Peterson was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this offseason, but the cornerback still has not found a home.
It’s uncharted territory for Peterson, who has spent the bulk of his career being one of the best defensive players in football.
“I do feel like I still have a lot left in the tank and can provide, not only leadership, but playmaking ability to whatever team desires to have me on their roster,” Peterson said on the NFL on Fox podcast. “At this point and stage in my career, going through the free-agent process, I’m just taking it a day at a time.”
Times have changed for the 33-year-old, who clearly is not the same player he once was. Still, he doesn’t want things to change too much.
When the subject of switching over to safety was mentioned, Peterson was that is not something he wants to do. Not even at this juncture of his NFL tenure.
“I don’t want to start at safety because that’s a different animal back there,” Peterson said. “That’s a different view back there. If that is the case, I would need to be warned going into the season to get my body, my mental prepared. It’s different being at the safety from the cornerback position, having those open-field tackles. As corners, we’re used to knifing in and slicing guys down. When you’re in the open field as a safety, especially if you’re in the middle of the field, that guy’s got 24 yards right and 24 yards left of you. There ain’t no way to cut him off by any means. You’re the last line of defense. So if that is something, I would need notice and probably, you know, get one of these old-time safeties like an Ed Reed or (Troy) Polamalu to coach me up.”
Peterson, who played his collegiate football at LSU, was originally selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the fifth overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft.
He spent the first decade of his career with the Cardinals, making the Pro Bowl in each of his first eight seasons. He also earned three First-Team All-Pro selections in the process.
Part of what made Peterson so effective was his durability, as he did not miss a single game in any of his first eight NFL campaigns.
Following his long run in Arizona, Peterson made his way to the Minnesota Vikings for a couple of seasons before ultimately signing with the Steelers last year.
Peterson played in every contest with Pittsburgh in 2023, registering 42 tackles, a couple of interceptions and 11 passes defended.
Surely, there is a team out there that will give Patrick Peterson an opportunity heading into 2024.
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