After 10 seasons with the Cardinals, cornerback Patrick Peterson has signed a one-year deal with the Vikings.
Head coach Mike Zimmer said on Wednesday that the deal came together quickly, in part because Peterson made it clear he wanted to head to the franchise.
“I really didn’t have anything other than I knew about him as a player. Obviously, I watched him on tape from this past year,” Zimmer said during his press conference. “It was kind of nice, he was trying to decide where he wanted to go and he asked his agent to call me here. Then I called him to talk to him about what he’s looking for and some of those things. It was able to work out.
“Like I think [G.M.] Rick [Spielman] said, we got it done in about five hours. He was in the Bahamas with his family. So it was honestly probably a really lucky break that we were able to do that. But he kind of initiated wanting to come here, so I thought that was really important as well.”
Peterson has already indicated he’s planning on remaining at cornerback rather than shifting to safety. Zimmer reiterated that stance from his standpoint on Wednesday.
“That’s what he is,” Zimmer said. “He’s always been a great corner. I think he wants to continue to get better. I know he wants to continue to play longer. And we’re hopeful that we can help him to do that.”
Peterson started all 16 games for Arizona in 2020, registering three interceptions and eight passes defensed. He’s been one of the most durable corners in the league since he was drafted, missing only six games in 10 years.