FLAGSTAFF -- Cardinals rookie first-round pick Patrick Peterson was credited with four tackles and a 29-yard kickoff return in Thursday’s preseason game at Oakland.
Coach Ken Whisenhunt says he sees a young player willing to work hard, and that Peterson just needs more time on the field. He was impressed with Peterson’s burst of speed coming out of the end zone on the kick return.
"I think we’ll see a lot more of that even in his defensive play as he gets more comfortable with what we’re asking him to do, but very pleased with how he’s going about his business of competing for that (cornerback) job."
Peterson has confidence, but not an arrogant confidence, Whisenhunt said. He sees indications that failures and criticism will only make Peterson a stronger player.
Other highlights from Whisenhunt’s pre-practice comments Sunday in Flagstaff, where the Cardinals re-convened for training camp.
-On FB Anthony Sherman, who shined on special teams: "When we drafted him, we thought he was the best player at his position and we felt like he would make an immediate impact on special teams. That’s high praise for a fifth-round draft pick."
-On the focus of today’s practice: "We’ve got our installation that we’ve adjusted a little bit based on where we are, but we’ve just got to keep pushing with that and then we’ve got to make sure this afternoon’s practice will be all about the corrections from the (Oakland) game." Those include lining up right on both sides of the ball, addressing Beanie Wells’ too-high running style from the game and defensive players’ techniques.
-On CB A.J. Jefferson: "He showed an ability to bounce back. The biggest thing he’s got to work on is consistency."
-On how Kevin Kolb played: "As far as handling the offense, I think we were all pleased with that… he’s driven to be good. He always pushes himself and you can see that that does a lot for the team as well. I know he’s hungry to get into more of the package stuff that we’ll do that is specifically tailored towards his strengths, and that’s what’s going through the next couple weeks of training camp is really about."
-On possibility of trading for a No. 2 receiver: "I don’t ever recall saying we had an issue with our receivers. You tell me, how many receivers had productive nights (in the game Thursday)? I like our football team and the guys we have here competing. That doesn’t mean that if there’s an availability to help make our team better, that we’re not going to look at it."
-On next game vs. Packers: "It’s a great opportunity for us to know we’re going against the defending champions and see where we stack up. We think we have to be realistic enough to understand that we’re not game-planning them, that we’re not anywhere near the team that they are yet, not from a talent standpoint but from a cohesive unit that’s played games together, especially big games…. It’s going to be a tough game for our corners."
-On Todd Heap practicing: "I’m not really concerned whether Todd practices today. I know it’s not a serious injury, it’s just a matter of managing it."