The Chiefs’ Secret Weapon: How Patrick Peterson Can Lead Them to Super Bowl Glory
Since Jaylen Watson suffered a serious ankle injury in Week 7, the Kansas City Chiefs‘ cornerback room has not been remotely the same. As a result, the defense as a whole is struggling to replicate its early-season form and the margin for error is much slimmer now than it was a month or two ago. Players like Nazeeh Johnson and Joshua Williams, thrust into the lineup as potential replacements, aren’t solidifying the position just yet.
Entering Kansas City’s final handful of regular-season games, the only sure thing at cornerback is Trent McDuffie. Behind him, there’s a mixed bag of candidates at best. Johnson, Williams, Keith Taylor and Christian Roland-Wallace are far from proven commodities. Does it make sense to leap for an external move, even after general manager Brett Veach passed on that at the trade deadline?
In an article for Bleacher Report, David Kenyon dove into five “bargain bin” free agents that contenders should consider for the stretch run of the season. He tabs eight-time Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson as a sensible add for a team like the Chiefs.
“Once among the most feared corners in the game, Patrick Peterson is likely the most recognizable name,” Kenyon wrote. “Look, he’s no longer that player—the three-time AP All-Pro and perennial Pro Bowler with the Arizona Cardinals. He’s likely not even the 2022 version who assembled a great season for the Minnesota Vikings. But, man, isn’t he worth a gamble? Each of the Baltimore Ravens, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Commanders have a below-average secondary. Both the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs would benefit from upgrading the unit. Injuries are poking holes into other defensive backfields. As the league nears the postseason, Peterson should be one of the first cornerbacks called down the stretch.”
Peterson, a 13-year veteran, has yet to sign with a club for the 2024-25 season. He’s waited for the right opportunity in recent weeks, although no such avenue is opening up for the former No. 5 overall draft pick. At the age of 34, he’s clearly not an elite player anymore and is nearing the end of the line. Have the last couple of seasons shown that he has anything left in the tank?
The answer is twofold. In 2022, his final year with the Minnesota Vikings, Peterson logged five interceptions and 15 pass breakups while starting all 17 games during the regular season. He surrendered a 79.6 passer rating in coverage with a sparkling 4.3% missed tackle rate and an 82.5 Pro Football Focus coverage grade that was his best in years. His lone year in Pittsburgh, however, saw drops across the board:
- 2 interceptions
- 11 pass breakups
- 91.5 passer rating in coverage
- 20.8% missed tackle rate
- 61.4 PFF coverage grade
On one hand, Peterson’s numbers from last season suggest he can still absolutely bring value to a team. Those stats, in some areas, stack up well with depth pieces Kansas City is currently relying on. With that said, is an aging veteran who hasn’t played all year and isn’t familiar with the system going to move the needle in December?
That would be the question the Chiefs have to answer. With Johnson getting benched in Friday’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders and Williams getting his spot, maybe that’s the personnel decision to restore some order in the secondary. If not, perhaps Peterson can be a last-ditch effort, albeit with significant caveats along the way.
