Should the Dallas Cowboys have interest in soon to be free agent cornerback Patrick Peterson?

With the Super Bowl officially in the rearview mirror for the National Football League, all 32 teams have now officially begun preparations for the 2021 season. There won’t be the NFL Combine that we have traditionally known as the league continues to navigate life amid Covid-19, but soon enough free agency, the first thing to happen in our socially-distanced world, will be upon us.

Much of the reason that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers became the latest team to lift the Lombardi Trophy was their aggressive nature in adding veteran talent. In fact, all 31 points that the Buccaneers scored in Super Bowl LV were scored by players who were not on the team last season. It pays to continually add talent to your roster.

A lot can be learned about the way that Todd Bowles led the charge defensively for the Buccaneers, but the overall disposition of the roster is one that the Cowboys would do well to try and emulate. Adding talent is a must for a group that fell way short of expectations last season and the first real opportunity to do that is in fact free agency.

Should the Cowboys have interest in soon to be free agent cornerback Patrick Peterson?

While offensive tackle is certainly a position that could use some addressing this offseason, if the Cowboys spent all of their resources over the next few months on the defensive side of the ball it would hardly be a bad thing. Improvement is needed in the trenches on both sides of the ball, and also in the defensive backfield.

Ultimately, the Cowboys are going to have perhaps the most decisions to make in the secondary. The only real guarantees in terms of legitimate players at corner that they have at the moment are Trevon Diggs and Anthony Brown. It is possible that they move Reggie Robinson II back to corner, but that still remains to be seen.

It makes sense that the Cowboys would bring back one of Chidobe Awuzie or Jourdan Lewis this offseason, and it is possible that they will spend the 10th overall pick on someone to pair with Diggs for the foreseeable future. Still, though, adding in free agency wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Monday brought news that the Arizona Cardinals are unlikely to bring back veteran corner Patrick Peterson. The former All-Pro and Pro Bowler will be 31 when the season starts, but still can play. His days as an elite cornerback do appear to be behind him, but he has been insanely healthy as he has only missed six games since being drafted in 2011 (all in 2019).

Peterson graded out better than all Cowboys cornerbacks save for Trevon Diggs in 2020 according to PFF. While it isn’t saying much to have been better than the rest of the group, a pairing of he and Diggs could be a bridge to the future if the Cowboys do draft a Patrick Surtain II or Caleb Farley for instance.

Landing Peterson this offseason might buy the Cowboys time with regards to finding a future cornerstone at the position and allow them to spend their top 10 pick elsewhere. We have talked about how wise it is to address team needs in free agency ahead of the draft so as to not limit yourself to a particular position of interest; somebody like Patrick Peterson would go a long way at accomplishing that.

In regards to free agents, it has always been the price that is key. Peterson is coming off of a season in which his base salary was $12.05M with Arizona and likely is used to that sort of salary. That’s a lot of money as far as what the Cowboys have been willing to commit to the cornerback spot (or any secondary position), but given Peterson’s age he is likely going to have to take a teeny bit of a pay cut with whoever he ends up with.

The Cowboys make some sense for Patrick Peterson

Death, taxes, and noting that the Cowboys have one of the biggest brands in the world.

It’s true, though. And it holds at the very least some sense of semblance when it comes to NFL players choosing their next destination. Peterson is at the latter stages of his career and clearly a fan of the Cowboys quarterback in Dak Prescott.

Trying to consider all options here, Patrick Peterson is also a huge golfer (he was just at the Waste Management last week). Free agency is obviously about way more than what can be done in a player’s free time, but it makes sense that a warmer climate could be preferred for Peterson in order for the links to be a viable option.

Miami is set at cornerback (shout out to Byron Jones) and while some have suggested a homecoming for Peterson in Louisiana with the New Orleans Saints, their quarterback situation is hardly one that a player with not a lot of time left would want to gamble on. Being blunt, Patrick Peterson is going to be looking for a way to win a Super Bowl for the first time in his career.

Perhaps Patrick Peterson will wear the Cowboys star and all of this will come to fruition or maybe he won’t. Reality is that he is a legitimate option at cornerback for the Cowboys this offseason and being active in general is something that Dallas should highly be considering.

Would you be interested in Patrick Peterson?