By agreeing to a two-year, $14 million contract with three-time All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson, the Pittsburgh Steelers have made a big defensive improvement. The Steelers’ secondary, which was a point of weakness for the team last season, will now have more quality and experience.
Peterson, an NFL veteran of nine seasons who spent his whole career with the Arizona Cardinals, is currently a free agent. He’s been selected to eight Pro Bowls and has been recognized as one of the league’s top cornerbacks three times on the first team. Except for 6 games, he has started every game of his career and averaged two interceptions per season. He has also been a model of consistency.
Peterson joining the Steelers’ roster is important for a number of reasons. Secondly, since Joe Haden left the team in 2016, the team has had a difficult time finding a trustworthy cornerback. The squad struggled to stop long throws in 2020, giving up the seventh-most passing yards in the league. Peterson should be able to strengthen this deficiency because of his covering prowess and field perception.
Peterson’s seasoned presence ought to serve as a mentor for the Steelers’ inexperienced secondary. Although the team features a number of talented young players, including 2020 draught prospects Cameron Sutton and Justin Layne, they have little NFL background. For their development, Peterson’s nine years of expertise and success in the league should be essential.
Signing indicated Steeler’s commitment towards the competition in AFC North in 2021.
The team already achieved a number of additions in this summer, such as re-signing wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and bringing in offensive linemen Joe Haeg and Miles Killebrew.
Regarding Peterson’s performance in recent years, there are some worries. He hasn’t had an interception since 2019, and in the last two seasons, he has allowed a quarterback rating of above 100. The Steelers are probably wagering that Peterson’s skill and experience will convert into better performance in a different scheme.