As a rookie in 2011, Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson returned four punts for touchdowns. Eventually, however, he’ll have fewer opportunities to chase Devin Hester’s all-time record of 12 career punt returns, and counting.
Peterson told a certain Internet hack with whom you may be familiar on Thursday’s edition of The Dan Patrick Show that the fifth pick in the 2011 draft eventually will be focusing more on cornerback and less on returning punts.
And that’s fine with Peterson. He wants to be known as a cornerback, first.
Helping Peterson improve as a cornerback are his regular practice sessions against receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Peterson regards Fitzgerald and Calvin Johnson as the best two receivers in the game.
But since the Cardinals didn’t face the Lions in 2011, the Peterson said the best receiver he faced was 49ers wideout Michael Crabtree.
This year, it’s unclear whether Peterson will face Crabtree again because the 49ers have five No. 1 receivers.
It’s also unclear whether Peterson will be returning punts in the first half or, say, in crunch time — where he has shown in the past that he can deliver victories with a timely trip to the house.