5 teams who could sign Adrian Peterson for one last rodeo

After their surprise release of Leonard Fournette this week, here’s what’s left on the Jaguars’ running back depth chart (with career carries).

Chris Thompson: 250 carries (212 receptions)
Ryquell Armstead: 35
Devine Ozigbo: 9
James Robinson: 0 (undrafted rookie)

If it’s an assured big role Peterson wants most, Jacksonville is probably the best spot for him. Former Washington head coach Jay Gruden is now the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator, so there’s a fit there and Gruden gave Peterson 251 carries (fifth-most in the league, and perhaps by default) in 2018. But the Jaguars are also tearing things down in rebuild mode, with a noted exodus of veterans that saw two more go just in the last week. So the serious pursuit of a Super Bowl ring is not happening real soon in Jacksonville.

The Jaguars seem ready to tank the 2020 season, even as head coach Doug Marrone and GM David Caldwell would surely like to save their jobs. On the note of trying to win more games than anyone expects, Peterson would presumably get plenty of run as their early down back in a system he should know and fit into well. He can’t lose much more projected ground on Smith in the pursuit of the all-time rushing mark, and the path to a 1,000-yard season is the clearest in Jacksonville right now.