Should Jacksonville Jaguars pursue pending FA Patrick Peterson?
The Jacksonville Jaguars need to find a corner to play opposite of sophomore C.J. Henderson. The 2021 NFL Draft will offer a few enticing options early in the process and in the middle rounds. However, Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson will probably hit the open market, giving the ‘Jags’ another option to address the position.
The Arizona Cardinals are moving on from Peterson barring a significant change in their current stances, per Matt Verderame of FanSided. The fifth-overall pick in 2011, the LSU product has played his ten-year career in the dessert and has registered 499 total tackles, 91 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and 28 interceptions in that span.
This is the first time Peterson is going to be a free agent and even though he hasn’t played at an All-Pro level in recent seasons, he’s still one of the best cornerbacks in the league and could immediately help any team looking for a starting corner this offseason. Should the Jaguars make a bid for his services?
Why should the Jacksonville Jaguars pursue Patrick Peterson?
Peterson is an established veteran and although he’s not the same player he was early in his career, he could start for all 32 NFL teams. Moreover, he has missed just six games since he entered the league in 2011. He signed a five-year $70 million contract in 2014 but it’s unlikely he will command that kind of salary in 2021. Also, the number of potential suitors for his services will be limited due to the limited cap room all teams will deal with in 2021.
The ‘Jags’ are one of the few squads that will have an abundant amount of cap space, which could help them pursue Peterson if they’re interested. If the team’s brass is interested in adding a veteran corner, either Peterson or Richard Sherman should be at the top of its list but could opt for the former due to his cleaner bill of health.
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This cornerback class is going to be a deep one and could take someone like Aaron Robinson early in this year’s draft or Tay Gowan later in the process. However, if the Jaguars feel comfortable committing a good chunk of their salary cap to the cornerback position this offseason, they should definitely target Peterson.