The New England Patriots are expected to make a move before next Tuesday’s trade deadline. That’s the word from Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston, who also notes that Arizona Cardinals All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson is not an option.
“A source tells me the team hasn’t had a single conversation about making a deal with Arizona for the 28-year-old corner,” Curran reported on Wednesday.
Again, this doesn’t mean the Patriots are going to stay pat. The insider also notes that the team is expected to make a move ahead of the trade deadline.
The issue with Peterson is that he’s simply not a logical fit from a salary cap standpoint. The 28-year-old cornerback is counting $14.96 million against Arizona’s cap this season with a combined $25-plus million cap hit in 2019 and 2020.
For their part, the two-time defending AFC champion Patriots are currently just $7.4 million under the cap. Moving forward, they have a large amount of cash designated to defensive backs Stephon Gilmore and Devin McCourty. In fact, their combined 2019 cap hit stands at north of $28 million.
If not Peterson, where will the Patriots look? They’ve been linked to New York Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins, among others. It’s clear New England is looking to upgrade its secondary after having finished the first seven weeks of the season 25th against the pass.