In an offseason that featured a number of moving parts across the league with familiar faces changing addresses, there is one offseason move that stands out above the rest to Good Morning Football co-host Jason McCourty.
The former New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns defensive back called the Pittsburgh Steelers’ signing of Patrick Peterson the “most refreshing” offseason addition in the NFL during a segment on GMFB Friday morning.
Peterson, 33, was signed to a two-year, $14 million deal in free agency away from the Minnesota Vikings just hours after the Steelers lost cornerback Cameron Sutton to the Detroit Lions on a three-year, $33 million deal in free agency. Peterson is coming off of his best season since 2012, recording five interceptions for the Vikings and a career-high 66 tackles in the 2022 season.
“A seasoned vet, coming in refreshed because he’s there,” McCourty said, according to video via NFL.com. “He can come in and help the young guys, he can just help guide the ship. A ton of knowledge for this guy. Obviously, one of the most athletic cornerbacks to play in the game — older now — but leaves Arizona, goes to Minnesota and makes his mark. Played really well last year for the Vikings on a struggling defense, and now he gets to go and join this Pittsburgh defense that has this great tradition.
“Going to be refreshing to see Patrick Peterson in the Black and Gold representing for the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
After losing Sutton in free agency to the Lions, it was rather surprising to see the Steelers pivot and bring in a guy like Peterson, who is obviously on the wrong side of 30 years old and plays a position that guys tend to really hit a wall at as they age.
However, Peterson had a strong season in 2022 and seems to still be able to get by at the position with his football IQ and overall awareness, rather than his physical traits like he was able to earlier in his career. Going from a poor Vikings’ defense to a Pittsburgh one stacked with talent in front of and behind him, it could be the welcome boost that Peterson needs late in his career, where he is experiencing a bit of a renaissance.
In Pittsburgh, Peterson won’t be asked to be the true, lockdown No. 1 corner anymore. Instead, he’ll be asked to be more of a mentor for the young cornerbacks like second-round pick Joey Porter Jr. and seventh-round pick Cory Trice Jr., not to mention younger veterans like Levi Wallace, Ahkello Witherspoon and James Pierre.
That might seem like a bit of a slap in the face to a player like Peterson, coming off of the season he just put together, but the veteran is embracing it and knows where he’s at in his career. That’s not to say he doesn’t think he can play at a high level anymore, because that’s not the case, but he knows he has to continue to adjust his game to the NFL today.
It will be rather refreshing to see Peterson in the Black and Gold, and it will be interesting to watch how he helps develop some of the younger cornerbacks in the room while playing on the best defense he’s been a part of in a long, long time.
