Cardinals General Manager Steve Keim didn’t pull any punches in assessing the play of cornerback Patrick Peterson in Thursday night’s loss to the 49ers.

Keim said on 98.7 FM that the Cardinals’ front seven could have given the secondary more help, but that ultimately Peterson needs to play better than he did against the 49ers, when he appeared to struggle multiple times in coverage.

“There are a number of things that go into coverage, and that starts up front with pressure,” Keim said, via the team’s website. “If you’re not getting pressure, it’s going to reflect on those guys on the back end. I think there was some miscommunication on a number of snaps. But at the same time, the bottom line is for us to be able to compete and to win against teams like the 49ers, we need our best players to play at their best. Last night was obviously not Patrick Peterson’s best.”

Keim said there are still issues Peterson needs to work on after serving a suspension for the first six games of the season, and Keim hopes everything gets worked out before next week’s game against the Buccaneers.

“I think it’s a combination of communication, there are things technique-wise he is still trying to feel his way through, coming back off suspension,” Keim said. “I expect him to bounce back. That’s what big-time players do. He’ll have a great opportunity against Mike Evans in Tampa.”

Keim has turned down trade offers for Peterson, but with Peterson set to cost $13 million against the Cardinals’ salary cap next season, Keim may be tempted to revisit the topic in the offseason, if Peterson turns in more performances like he did against the 49ers.