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How much is Patrick Peterson worth to the Arizona Cardinals?

The three-time Pro Bowler and twice All Pro player is still under contract, yet is eligible for an extension this offseason under the current collective bargaining agreement. Should the Cardinals pay up now or let him play out the season and renegotiate/walk later?

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If Arizona Cardinals General Manager Steve Keim wishes the Larry Fitzgerald contract were only the biggest salary cap headache he has awaiting for this upcoming offseason, he may want to tell a few player agents to take two ontracts and call him in the morning.

Migraine number two will more than likely be juggling out a deal for CB Patrick Peterson while still having Fitz's 2014 $18 million salary, a $10 mil dead money team hit and overbearing numbers from Daryn Colledge, Darnell Dockett and Daryl Washington. All under a $125 million or so league operative umbrella constraint.

Peterson(2011) is part of the CBA ruling that first rounders, who are on mandatory four-year signings may have their contracts extended after their third year. They still remain under the team's control until the final year, but extensions can be given if the club deems the player's performance worthwhile.

And Patrick has expressed, both on and off the field, that he feels he needs to be shown the money. He fired his agent that he has had from his rookie season -- Pat Lawlor -- right around Thanksgiving. Lawlor, for his part shared what he thought Peterson was most grateful for this next year - being the highest paid defensive player in the league with a 100 million dollar contract, of which half would be guaranteed. You're talking Darelle Revis and Mario Williams money, folks - for a team currently with little to no room currently against the salary cap's back.

Between the hashes, PP has done it all, also. As pretty sure as a lockdown corner (argue all you want, ROTBers - he's close) returns punts (okay, got me there) completed a pass, ran the ball, caught the ball... Bruce Arians thought he could be the next Deion Sanders and he still may be.

That being said, the talented DB is still under contract 'til after the 2015 season. There is no obligatory reason that he has to be extended. Could this create acrimony between himself and the front office if pushed forward? Hard to see that reasoning, both parties are adults. But what if other players such as Richard Sherman and Joe Haden set the market value by recording contracts earlier?

On the other hand, BASK (stole the acronym) have said they have Larry's 18 mil in next year's budget and PP is only 23 and his career contract should be his next one. Coupled with Bruce Arians'/Steve Keim's current mindset of smaller one-year signings/ three-year plan in place, do you see a possibility of a large Peterson contract or a wait-and-see approach? A possible trade?

Can the Arizona Cardinals handle two gigantic contracts with Peterson and Fitzgerald? Or would that create a terrible headache that no medicine could cure?