The 2018 NFL trade deadline is a little over a week away and one big deal took place on Monday with another possibly on the horizon. Amari Cooper found his way out of Oakland as the Raiders traded him away to the Dallas Cowboys. Shortly after that move was announced, cornerback Patrick Peterson let the Arizona Cardinals know he wanted a trade too. Once that was known, speculation started flying and it was revealed that his “ideal” landing spot was in New Orleans.
ESPN reported that the All-Pro defensive back asked the Cardinals to trade him by the deadline which is October 30, 2018. The Cardinals are in a freefall this season and sources told the sports giant that he “desperately” wants out of Arizona even though the team insists they have no intention of trading him away.
Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks said that he spoke with Peterson on Monday and the cornerback had not expressed a desire to be traded to him. Wilks went on to say that “we’re not trading Patrick. That’s out of the question.” The coach would not discuss “speculation” any further and moved onto other things.
That has not stopped speculation from running wild, though, and Bryant McFadden hopped on Twitter to say that Peterson even knew where he wanted to be traded. McFadden is an analyst for CBS Sports and also the cousin of Peterson.
#Cardinals All-Pro CB @P2 ideal trade destination is the #Saints . Per source Patrick Peterson. #Whodat
— Bryant McFadden (@BMac_SportsTalk) October 22, 2018
Two hours later, McFadden tweeted out that two other teams are already showing an interest in the cornerback.
#Saints #Eagles #Pats are all showing interest in trading for @P2 . Per source Patrick Peterson. #WhoDatNation #FlyEaglesFly #PatsNation
— Bryant McFadden (@BMac_SportsTalk) October 22, 2018
https://twitter.com/footyempires/status/1054512504796135424
It wouldn’t be shocking if there were truth in the rumor that Patrick Peterson’s ideal landing location was with the Saints. He did play college football for the LSU Tigers and New Orleans is one of the best teams in the NFL so far this season.
The Arizona Cardinals haven’t made the playoffs since 2016 and are 1-6 this season which means they’re already in danger of missing them again. Peterson is a seven-time Pro Bowler and been named first-team All-Pro on three different occasions, so he’d likely draw a good trade package from any team wanting to land him.
Earlier in the day, CBS Sports reported that the Dallas Cowboys traded a first-round draft pick in the 2019 draft for wide receiver Amari Cooper. The Oakland Raiders are obviously in rebuilding mode and this was not a shocking move in the least.
Amari Cooper’s Cowboys’ debut will come Nov. 5 against the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 22, 2018
If Patrick Peterson really wants out of Arizona, it may not matter much if the Cardinals aren’t willing to trade him. Everyone watched what happened with Earl Thomas and the Seattle Seahawks, but the Cards may simply be trying to drive up the trade offer price. Either way, the cornerback wants to play somewhere else and the New Orleans Saints would be more than happy to have him strengthen their defensive secondary for this season and beyond.