Both owner and head coach have emphatically said the Arizona Cardinals will not trade star cornerback Patrick Peterson, so let's assume a trade is about as likely as the 1-6 Cardinals overtaking the 7-0 Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West.
Peterson does want out of Arizona, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, and a deal is at least possible until Oct. 30, when the NFL's trade deadline arrives. That gives us a window to consider theoretical moves, including one that stood apart from the others when I exchanged ideas with league insiders following Schefter's report.
This idea involved the Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings working out a swap that would include a handshake agreement resolving a separate high-stakes issue that is percolating behind the scenes but has rarely been mentioned publicly. In a way, all three parties could help themselves -- Arizona, Minnesota and Peterson.
Patrick Peterson to the Vikings? Here's how such a deal could make some sense if Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill were to reverse his clear public stance.