After the season, Tomlin was noncommittal on whether Peterson would return. The former first-round pick, who played a decade in Arizona before a two-year stint in Minnesota and one season in Pittsburgh, understands the business aspect of the decision.
“What’s the plan? That’s for another story because I know that I am older. I know that,” Peterson said, mentioning the salary cap is always a consideration for a player at this stage of his career.
Peterson played about as well as you could expect for a 33-year-old corner. He got beat some early but provided leadership for young players like Joey Porter Jr. Peterson’s versatility came in handy as he shifted to safety down the stretch — albeit his tackling could be better from that position. The question for the Steelers, who need to inject youth regardless of Peterson’s situation, is whether the cost to keep the veteran is worth the price.
For his part, Peterson is willing to move to safety full-time if necessary to stay on the field. He made it clear he doesn’t want to be a reserve.
“As you saw this year, I’m open to playing wherever, whenever,” he said. “Wherever I can be to help the team, I’m all for it. Except for the bench.”
If the Steelers plan to move on, a transaction should happen in the coming weeks, with Peterson’s contract having a $3 million roster bonus due the third day of the new league year. Most clubs are willing to cut loose veterans they don’t plan to employ to give them a jump on free agency — a courtesy Peterson’s certainly earned.