DT Corey Peters officially returns to Arizona Cardinals

Three-time Arizona Cardinals captain Corey Peters is officially back with the team in 2021, signing a one-year deal on Monday.

Peters had worked out earlier in the day before the signing was made official.

Preceding his free agency, the defensive tackle reportedly tore his patellar tendon against the Buffalo Bills in Week 9 last year, placing him on injured reserve for the rest of the season.

In nine games last year, Peters recorded 15 tackles, two sacks and four tackles for loss.

When the 6-foot-3, 335-pound nose tackle was injured, the Cardinals used a patchwork defensive line in the back-half of the season.

They signed 36-year-old defensive tackle Domata Peko Sr., who recorded 16 tackles in six games played.

Rookie fourth-round pick Rashard Lawrence was also reinserted into the defensive line rotation for the final four games of the year after missing seven games due to a calf injury.

Arizona got a head start bolstering the defensive line this offseason by signing free agent end J.J. Watt. He joins a returning interior group that includes Jordan Phillips, Zach Allen, Leki Fotu and Lawrence.

Peters, 32, originally joined Arizona as a free agent in 2015 but missed that season after suffering a torn Achilles. Peters returned to put together productive years in 2016 and 2017, then signed a three-year extension toward the end of the 2017 regular season.

The veteran earned captainship for the first time with Arizona in 2018 and has also been heavily involved in the community, especially focusing on opening educational doors for children, including through a book club that he moderated.

Peters broke into the league with the Atlanta Falcons as a third-round pick in 2010 and played there through the 2014 season before joining the Cardinals.

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