Returning To New York All Antonio Cromartie Talks About

Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson mentioned that he’s been trying to convince impending free agent CB Antonio Cromartie to remain in Arizona, but is struggling to do so.

“I’m definitely trying to keep him here,” Peterson said, via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. “It’s going to be tough, especially with Todd [Bowles] being in New York and he loves [New York].

“That’s all he talks about is freaking New York. I’m definitely trying to get him to stay and we’ll see what happens.”

In addition to Cromartie being enamored with New York City, the likelihood of him returning to New York grows with former Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles taking over as the Jets’ new head coach.

“It’s attractive,” Cromartie said. “My house is there, so it’s attractive. But if that doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. At the end of the day, I got to make sure that my options are open and making sure that whatever decision I make, that it’s related to my family and making sure we’re making the right decision not only for me but also for them. It not only affects me, it affects them also with changing schools and for my kids and everything.”

Cromartie,  30, signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract that included $3.25 million in fully guaranteed with the Cardinals last year. He finished 2014 with three interceptions, 10 pass deflections, and 48 tackles. Pro Football Focus rated Cromartie as the No. 45 overall cornerback out of 108 qualifiers last season.

Though he turns 31 this offseason, but Cromartie is not concerned about his age.

“Everybody else knows what I can do when I’m healthy,” he said. “That’s what it’s really all about. I think it was just the point of getting back healthy and going back out and playing at a high level.”

We have Cromartie currently rated as the No. 45 player in our Top 75 Free Agents list.