“I’m going to laugh and joke with everybody, I don’t care if it’s the president,’’ Boyd said. “So the first time I met (Peterson) I was like, ‘What it is this, like your 30th year?’ ’’
Peterson, 31, laughed in response, and it was the start of a great relationship between him and Boyd, 24.
Peterson, an 11-year veteran who only seems to have been around for three decades, has developed a great rapport with Minnesota’s many young cornerbacks. The Vikings have a guy with that title in Karl Scott, but Peterson has been like a second defensive backs coach.
Peterson, named first-team All-Pro eight times with the Arizona Cardinals from 2011-20 before signing in March a one-year deal with Minnesota worth as much as $10 million, works regularly with young players. He provides all sorts of pointers.
“Showing these young guys how to study, how to understand their opponent and how to come to work every day,’’ Peterson said. “How important it is to make sure you put not only good tape on the football field but understanding how to study, as well.’’
The Vikings in 2020 had plenty of youth at cornerback, and it showed during a season in which they ranked 29th in the NFL in scoring defense and 27th in total defense and finished 7-9. They brought in Peterson not only to start but to dispense advice.
Minnesota’s primary starters at cornerback last year were rookies Cameron Dantzler and Jeff Gladney, although Gladney was released last week following his indictment on an assault charge for an alleged incident involving his former girlfriend. Dantzler, 22, is still around, as well as several other young cornerbacks.
Other holdovers from last year include Boyd, Dylan Mabin, 23, and Harrison Hand, 22. And the Vikings added another young corner in first-year man Amari Henderson, 23.
“(Peterson’s) given me tons of advice, everything from as far as technique to handling yourself outside of the building and being a professional,’’ Mabin said. “I look up to him. Even when he’s not verbally telling us something, I’m always watching him just to see what he’s doing so I can try to emulate that.
“I remember when I was young and watched him, and he was one of the dudes I wanted to be like. And now I’m actually in his presence. His work ethic and his attention to detail is just crazy.’’
Peterson helped work with young players throughout spring drills, and he was back at it when training camp started July 28. He recalled something he told Boyd at the start of camp.
“I was talking to Kris Boyd, having him understand the different releases that receivers can give you and he was like, ‘Wow, I never looked at it that way,’ ’’ Peterson said. “I feel that giving these guys those types of nuggets can definitely slow their game down a lot and help them improve.’’
Boyd agreed.
“He has helped tremendously having that many years of experience,’’ Boyd said. “Anything he tells me, I’m listening. I’m like a sponge whenever he speaks.’’
Dantzler said Peterson has been “adding pointers” to his game, and he’s “pumped to have him on our side.’’ He spoke of having three tutors in head coach Mike Zimmer, who entered the NFL in 1994 as a defensive backs coach, Scott and Peterson.
“As far as his preparation, too, (Peterson) does rub off on the young guys,’’ said Scott, in his first year with the Vikings. “Some of the guys, when you want to have a model of who you want to be like or who you want to model your game like, you’ve got somebody in the room.’’
And it isn’t only young guys. Cornerbacks Bashaud Breeland, 29 and a starter in the past two Super Bowls with Kansas City, and Mackensie Alexander, 27 and entering his sixth season, both have talked about how Peterson has helped them.
“Everybody looks up to Patrick Peterson,’’ Breeland said. “It’s just exciting to get out there and be on the field with him.’’
And the advice never seems to stop. When Peterson was asked after Saturday’s practice at U.S. Bank Stadium, what recent nuggets he has had to offer, he sure enough had something.
“Actually, about the lights,’’ he said about players without a lot of game experience at U.S. Bank. “Make sure you get out there and check out the lights before every game, because every stadium’s different. You don’t want to have that excuse when you come out to a game, ‘Oh, I couldn’t find the ball.’ ’’
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Longtime star Patrick Peterson dispensing plenty of advice to Vikings' many young cornerbacks - Pine Journal
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