When the Cardinals traded cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to Philly, the assumption was that No. 5 overall pick Patrick Peterson would replace him in the starting lineup.
That should happen eventually, but it hasn’t happened yet. Peterson continues to run with the backups behind second-year cornerback A.J. Jefferson and Greg Toler.
The Cardinals are using Peterson as a kick returner, which could be a sign he won’t play every snap on defense early in the year. Coach Ken Whisenhunt usually favors veterans early in camp and it’s too early to say much of anything. But we just haven’t heard a lot about Peterson making an impact just yet.
“I expected Peterson to stand out more as a cornerback early in camp,” ESPN.com’s Mike Sando writes.
That about sums it up. With safety Adrian Wilson out indefinitely, the Cardinals need the young guys in their secondary to step up, with Peterson foremost among them.