Patrick Peterson working to ‘mix up’ his game, looking forward to more wins

Cornerback Patrick Peterson has become a household name in just two seasons in the NFL. In his rookie year, he turned heads with his return game, taking four punts to the house. Last season, his seven interceptions brought more attention to his defensive skills.

He made the Pro Bowl both seasons. This summer, ESPN’s Herm Edwards, in an Insider piece, ranked Peterson as the top young cornerback in the league.

It would seem as if the former Louisiana State standout has it all figured out in the pros. But, with the Arizona Cardinals in the midst of training camp, Peterson said he still has skills yet to be sharpened.

“I want to kind of mix up my game a little bit and show the receivers and quarterbacks different looks,” Peterson said. “I want to be able to see the whole field now, and read the quarterback a little bit. I want to stop playing with my back to the quarterback.”

Peterson said he’s also eager to return to the winning ways he had in college. Individual accomplishments aside, the Cardinals’ struggles the past two seasons made for a difficult ride, he said.

He sounds more optimistic about the team based on what he’s seen in practice and training camp thus far.

“I believe we’re a much better ball club, on both sides of the field,” Peterson said of this year’s squad. “If we can continue playing with relentless effort, full speed, I believe we’ll be a pretty good ball club and defense as well.”