Pro Bowl perennial cornerback Patrick Peterson has reached an agreement on a $ 10 million one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings, a source in ESPN’s Adam Schefter said Wednesday.
Peterson, 30, leaves the Arizona Cardinals as one of the best cornerstones in franchise 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 six games for violating NFL drug policy to improve performance. Peterson is a three-time All-Pro.
Peterson’s positional flexibility is a boon for the Vikings high school that featured two rookie rookies in 2020 between Jeff Gladney, who lined up in the strip for 529 snapshots last season, and Cameron Dantzler, a third-round pick which allowed the lowest coverage score among all rookie corners in the second half of the season (41.9 for week 11-17).
With questions about the health and future of the corner of the first round of 2018, Mike Hughes, whose option for the fifth year will likely be denied by Minnesota, Peterson gives stability to the Vikings in high school, the season he had seven pass breaks, their maximum since then. 2013. His three interceptions were his most since 2016.
Peterson has been widely regarded as one of the best cornerbacks throughout his career, known for his ability to defend the best receivers of the opposing offense on an island. He started all 128 games in the first eight seasons of his career before his suspension. In 2020 he was named a member of the 2010-2019 team of all decades by the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Peterson played all 16 games last season and had 61 innings and three interceptions. He has 28 interceptions in his career.
He joined the free agency with a five-year extension signed in 2014. Peterson requested an operation in October 2018 during Arizona’s painful 3-13 season with former coach Steve Wilks, but later he apologized. However, reports of a rift in the relationship between Peterson and the Cardinals’ main office continued to circulate, calling into question his future with the franchise after his contract expired in March.
ESPN Courtney Cronin and Josh Weinfuss contributed to this report.