49ers must issue a stern ‘no’ to signing these 5 free agents
By Peter Panacy
Free agent 49ers must avoid No. 4: Cornerback Patrick Peterson, Vikings
Sticking with the cornerback theme here, another player the 49ers should wisely pass on is Minnesota Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson.
No longer the top-name defensive back he was earlier in his career with the Arizona Cardinals, Peterson nevertheless enjoyed a relatively productive 2021 campaign with the Vikings that saw him record one interception, five passes broken up and 45 tackles. Perhaps more importantly, Peterson decreased his passer rating allowed from 98.2 in 2020, his last year in Arizona, to 78.7 in 2021.
Sounds like a decent option, right?
Well, perhaps not. For starters, Peterson will turn 31 years old this offseason and already dealt with hamstring injuries that limited him to 13 games played and landed him on injured reserve late in the season.
It’s also likely Peterson would be asking for a sizable free-agent contract if Minnesota doesn’t re-sign him, perhaps his last major cash-in on the open market.
Considering cornerback-needy teams like the Niners could go after a much younger free-agent market, targeting someone much younger than Peterson would be the smarter move if they’re going to invest heavily in that position.