PATRICK PETERSON CB - ARIZONA CARDINALS - Ingles

PATRICK PETERSON

Q. How much are you looking forward to being paired up with Dominique Rodgers?
PATRICK PETERSON: Man, it's going to be fun. I'm definitely going to have plans sometime in the year having the best secondary in the league. You know, that's something that I always set my eyes on, any secondary I ever played on, so I know this secondary is going to be special, he's a rocky as well and I'm going to take a lot of learning points from him. He did what I'm trying to do.

Q. You have family in this business; is it strange trying to shake the Commissioner's hands when he's trying to lower the economic benefits for your family?
PATRICK PETERSON: Not at all. That's something that us rookies coming in, I guess they are going through ‑‑ they kept putting too much money and guys not performing.
It is what it is. The decision is out of my hands. It has nothing to do with me. I still want to go out there and perform at the highest level.

Q. The only discussion I heard about not taking you one, two, or three, it was not about you, but the cornerback position, people saying not to take a cornerback that high. Did that make sense to you?
PATRICK PETERSON: I believe the cornerback position is the second‑most needed position on any football team. If you don't have a corner, anybody can throw the ball all over you. You don't have a quarterback, you'll be throwing interceptions or sacks.
Teams know what they want and what direction they want to go in and they know what player they think that's going to help them build a championship.

Q. Technique‑wise what do you feel some of your strengths are?
PATRICK PETERSON: Some of my strengths at the technique level, I'm good at the bump and run, I believe I can become better at a lot of things. But I was in college, you know and now I'm going to the NFL and I have to be getting better at my Kraft each and every day. I know Larry Fitzgerald will keep me prepared to play games on Sundays.

Q. How do you feel about going to a team that almost won the Super Bowl three years ago?
PATRICK PETERSON: I like this kid. It feels good. I know those guys definitely want to get back to the championship level. I believe I can definitely get those guys over the hump. I know those guys wanted a quarterback because like Coach said, he wanted the best players in the draft and he came out and got me.
So now we've just got to wait for the free agent and see what quarterback we bring in on our team. But, it will be fun to get that team back to the championship.

Q. Are you looking to start right away?
PATRICK PETERSON: Definitely. Definitely. That's something that always ‑‑ this is something that I always wanted to do as a child, growing up, watching games on Sundays, telling myself, this is where I want to be. I want to be a starter from day one. Hopefully when I get in there I learn the system and happy to get everything down pat and hopefully some day I will be a first‑day starter.

Q. A lot of people think that your size is going to make you become a safety instead of a corner. What are your thoughts?
PATRICK PETERSON: I don't think so. I believe I'm a young ‑‑ I am a young man and a professional. But being at this level, you definitely have to be smart, what you put in your body if you want to last in this business for a long time. You know, with me, with this size, honestly, I cannot help to the way I am built. My dad, he trained me my entire life. I never had any trouble running with smaller guys. I never had trouble turning my hips, flipping my hips or running with anyone.
So I believe the size that I am at right now, I believe I don't get any bigger than this. I'm at my peak. I just have to be smart about what I put in this Ferrari.

Q. When you see yourself in John Madden ‑‑ inaudible ‑‑
PATRICK PETERSON: I definitely would give myself 99.

Q. What did you study?
PATRICK PETERSON: Sports administration.

Q. Most people thought you were the best player in the draft. What do you say to people that are still gambling when they can get a Darrelle Revis‑type like you with the first pick? Why are they gambling?
PATRICK PETERSON: I have no idea. But Cam, he deserved to be the No. 1 pick. I played against the guy. He's an animal in the field and he's a competitor and he got Auburn to the championship in his first year. That's something guys don't do. With Cam Newton, he definitely deserved to be No. 1.
But I think the corner back position should definitely be a long thought process of taking a guy like myself or any other corners that's coming up in the league No. 1.

Q. Are you looking forward to playing against him again?
PATRICK PETERSON: Cam? Oh, yeah. I mean, Cam new ton, he's a fierce competitor. I'm definitely looking forward to playing against all of these guys that went through this process with me.

Q. The fact that your tie and handkerchief match the colors; is that a coincidence?
PATRICK PETERSON: A coincidence but red is my favorite color. I always have red or black on.
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