Patriots reportedly haven’t had ‘single conversation’ about acquiring Patrick Peterson
Aug 26, 2018; Arlington, TX: Arizona Cardinals defensive back Patrick Peterson is interviewed during the second half of the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Cardinals at AT&T Stadium. (Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)
Any trade rumor involving the Patriots and a star player is going to quickly catch fire. In the case of Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson, NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran is here to dump water on this wildfire before it burns through the Foxborough forest.
A source tells Curran that the Patriots haven’t had “a single conversation” with the Cardinals about Peterson. That contrasts wildly with the “reporting” of Peterson’s cousin, Bryant McFadden. He’s an analyst for CBS Sports, but most certainly not a reporter, let alone one who’s plugged in to the Patriots organization. McFadden claimed that the Patriots are aggressively pursuing Peterson, which apparently couldn’t be further from the truth.
Peterson and the Cardinals would have something to gain just with the Patriots’ “interest” being public knowledge. If Bill Belichick wants him, then he must be good. But it’s Peterson who wants to be traded in the first place, and it sure sounds like the Cardinals aren’t about to grant the cornerback his wish.
Sep 23, 2018; Glendale, AZ: Arizona Cardinals defensive back Patrick Peterson reacts against the Chicago Bears after a play at State Farm Stadium. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)
Beyond all that, the financial implications of taking on Peterson’s price tag would complicate things. It wouldn’t be impossible to fit Peterson under the cap, but it would certainly take some major maneuvering. Definitely not a simple move like, say, getting Josh Gordon for a fifth-round pick.
That said, you can reasonably expect the Patriots to make a move at the trade deadline. It just wouldn’t be for anyone too expensive. Belichick wants value as much as anything in a trade, so if they get someone, it’ll be for a relatively cheap price tag and a player that Belichick feels he could maximize on the field.
For those reasons, Peterson probably isn’t drawing much interest from Gillette Stadium.
— By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.
