Patrick Peterson says ball is in Cardinals’ court for his potential return

Patrick Peterson has experienced a lot in the NFL over his 10-year career but he’s never been a free agent until now.

The Arizona Cardinals cornerback will be on the open market this offseason.

On his All Things Covered podcast with former teammate Bryant McFadden, Peterson is in wait and see mode on what happens.

“I would love to (return) but at the end of the day we have to see because the ball is in their court now,” he said. “We have to see what they offer or what direction they want to go in. Everything is out of my hands at this point.”

Peterson signed a five-year extension in 2014 worth over $70 million. The Cardinals this past offseason agreed to hefty extensions with Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and Pro Bowl safety Budda Baker, but not with Peterson.

The veteran corner entered the season saying he was “at peace” knowing there was nothing he could do about his contract. He said in September he was focused on reaching the Pro Bowl level he spent nearly all of last decade performing at. Peterson, though, missed the Pro Bowl for the second straight year.

Peterson on Thursday before the Cardinals’ season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Rams said he was fine with the way he played overall.

“Honestly, I thought I played solid,” he said. “You have to fight through certain things and you have to win certain downs, but for the most part, I believe I had a solid season. There’s some plays I wish I could have back, but you can’t. Just have to go back and watch the film and just continue watching how teams are attacking me, which is covering drags and crossers running through traffic.

“Have to find a way during this offseason of maneuvering better through things like that, if that’s how teams are going to attack us if I’m here next year. Just have to find better ways to maneuver throughout the traffic in this man-to-man scheme that we play.”

Peterson went on to add Thursday that he’s done all he could “to present that I would love to be here.”

On the podcast, Peterson said he did not really think during the Rams game that this could be his last time wearing a Cardinals uniform. He will take some quality thinking time until the expected start of the offseason around March or April.

“Hope I can be a part of it but I know it’s a business and we’ll see what happens here pretty soon,” he said.

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