Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim reiterated his desire against trading star cornerback Patrick Peterson on Friday.
"I don't know why the questions persist," Keim said during a radio interview on 98.7 Arizona's Sports. "I have addressed it multiple times, last week or a couple of weeks ago -- we are not trading Patrick Peterson. Our stance has simply been, why trade a player in his prime at one of the hardest positions to find, for a maybe or a couple of maybes (with draft picks).
"Love what Pat brings to the locker room, love what he brings to the field. Again, those positions are impossible to find -- left tackles, quarterbacks, corners. There's no doubt, in my opinion, he is the best in the National Football League and will remain a Cardinal."
While Keim has denied interest in trading Peterson, it's worth noting that he held a similar public stance in regard to former first-round pick Josh Rosen at the 2019 Scouting Combine. The Cardinals later traded Rosen to the Miami Dolphins for a pair of draft picks after selecting Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft.
A three-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowl selection, Peterson returns to the Cardinals (2-3-1) in Sunday's road contest against the New York Giants (2-4) after serving a six-game suspension for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy.
The rumor mill heated up upon Peterson's return, however, with ESPN's Adam Schefter reporting earlier in the week that at least three teams had called Arizona to inquire about his availability.
Last October, Peterson requested a trade and later apologized for doing so. He is under contract with the Cardinals through the 2020 season, when he will earn $12.05 million.
Until the suspension, the 29-year-old Peterson never had missed a start since the Cardinals drafted him in the first round (fifth overall) in 2011. In 128 games, Peterson has registered 387 tackles, 23 interceptions, 76 passes defensed and 12 fumble recoveries.
--Field Level Media OLUSSPORT Reuters US Online Report Sports News 20191018T202712+0000