The Arizona Cardinals were thrilled to get Carson Palmer in a trade this offseason from the Oakland Raiders after a horrible season at the position with John Skelton, Kevin Kolb and Ryan Lindley and so far in training camp head coach Bruce Arians is thrilled with what he is seeing.
The team is putting in a new offensive scheme this year after Arians took over and now that Palmer is in the fold, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is looking to have a much more productive season than in 2012. The team drafted both Andre Ellington and Stepfan Taylor at running back and Arians is also looking to add more explosiveness to the offense in any way that he can, including by employing cornerback Patrick Peterson into it as a wide receiver.
Peterson has proven to be one to the most dynamic players in the NFL while returning kicks on special teams and Arians may want to put those skills to use on offense. Peterson previously made the Pro Bowl as a punt returner and a cornerback and after he played a few snaps last year on offense in the wildcat formation and Arians may have similar designs heading into 2013. Peterson was drafted with the fifth overall pick in 2011 after playing in college at LSU and showing what he can do as a return man, Palmer said that he was eager as well to see what he can do as a receiver.
Palmer said during training camp that Peterson can do pretty much anything and after adding Rashard Mendenhall to the team at running back, there is a good chance the offense will be more balanced last season. Palmer put up very solid stats last year with the Oakland Raiders despite the team going just 4-12 and this year he will have the chance to work with one of the best receivers in the league in Fitzgerald. The Cardinals went just 5-11 last season and the team is hoping to improve under Arians after adding Palmer, Mendenhall and John Abraham on defense.
"Obviously he can be very effective with the ball in his hands, but he's also effective on the field as a decoy," Palmer said. "We've got a pretty big package in for a guy that's a defensive football player. That's something you have to prepare for, something you have to think about and worry about. Whether he touches the ball every time he's on the field or he doesn't touch it at all, he's a threat and he's something the defense has to prepare for and account for."
