Cards GM on Patrick Peterson scuttle: Why trade player in his prime?

Cardinals general manager Steve Keim believes it’s old news. He’s repeated it for awhile now: Arizona is not trading cornerback Patrick Peterson.

The organization has maintained that ever since then-head coach Steve Wilks took the podium shortly after news broke of Peterson’s trade request midway last year.

It’s been the case through the offseason and since Peterson was suspended six games for PED use.

“I don’t know why the questions persist because I have addressed it multiple times,” Keim told 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Doug & Wolf on Friday. “We are not trading Patrick Peterson. Our stance has simply been, ‘Why trade a player in his prime at one of the hardest positions to find for a maybe or a couple maybes? Love what Pat brings to the locker room, love what he brings to the field.

“Those positions are impossible to find: left tackles, quarterbacks, corners. There’s no doubt, in my opinion, he is the best in the National Football League and will remain a Cardinal.”

The NFL trade deadline sits on Tuesday, Oct. 29. Peterson just returned from his suspension and will jump back into action Sunday against the New York Giants.

After that game, Arizona’s last game before the deadline is at New Orleans.

Keim said the Cardinals have taken trade calls on the 29-year-old Peterson in the past. Recently, he said the phone lines have cooled down.

“I think (others teams) all know now that Pat is going to remain a Cardinal,” Keim said.

Peterson remains under contract through next season, and Keim did not want to address extension talks.

“Guy is just coming back after missing six games,” the Cardinals GM said. “I’m just excited to see him play on Sunday and we have desperately needed him. We have gone through some growing pains in that backend with some of the young players that are playing … there are times that as young players you get confused with your eyes and there are some blown coverages and miscommunication.

“We got to get better back there and certainly the addition of Pat is going to help.”

Extra points

— Giants rookie quarterback Daniel Jones visited with the Cardinals in the pre-draft process as one of their 30 allotted visits for prospects, 98.7 FM’s John Gambadoro reported in April. That was before New York shocked draft experts by drafting the unheralded player with the No. 6 overall pick.

“I think the one thing about him that stands out is how well-coached he was,” Keim said. “(Duke head coach) David Cutcliffe is obviously one of the best quarterback coaches in the college game.”

— Keim said that, so far this season, he’s most proud of how his offensive line has performed: “They’re a group that has been ridiculed in the media and has taken a lot of shots, and to me those are people who haven’t watched the tape. Those guys have played extremely well.”

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