Is this the end of the line for Adrian Peterson?
Adrian Peterson is looking for a new job right before the season.
Adrian Peterson was all set to continue beating the odds and enter the 2020 season as a 35-year-old running back. Then the news came that the Washington Football Team released him Friday morning.
Now he is a 35-year-old running back trying to convince teams to give him a chance. So is this the end of the road for Peterson?
Adrian Peterson isn’t ready to retire
Washington deciding to go young at the position isn’t a shocking move. But the release of Peterson raises questions of if he was looking bad, or if the team just didn’t want him taking reps from younger guys.
At the age of 35, even though he is being released today, RB Adrian Peterson still wants to continue playing, per source. So add one more experienced name to the list of available running backs.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 4, 2020
Peterson should be able to convince a team to at least give him a chance. He ran for 898 yards and five touchdowns in what was a bad Washington offense last season. He went over the 1,000-yard mark the year before that.
Putting the future Hall of Famer in a rotation and not having him be the lead guy makes adding him a no-brainer. He would also come in on a minimum deal.
The first team that comes to mind is the Minnesota Vikings. Peterson became a superstar up north before he was let go in 2017 in what was a money-saving move by the team. The team already has Dalvin Cook carrying the main bulk of the carries and Peterson could get 7-10 touches per game in the rotation with Alexander Mattison.
The next team that comes to mind is one that always seems to make the right moves. That would be the New England Patriots. Bill Belichick already snagged Cam Newton off the market on a minimum deal and could do the same with Peterson. That would add a legendary running back to an offense that is merit-based at every position. New England is where Peterson could earn more playing time and also compete for a Super Bowl.
There is also the reality of current starters suffering injuries throughout the season. If Peterson makes it to Week 1 without a team he shouldn’t panic. He has not had drastic regression with age and can take time to heal up any injuries in the meantime. That makes him a great midseason addition for any team.
Next. 5 teams who could sign Adrian Peterson for one last rodeo. dark
This should not be the end of the line for the great running back. If anything, he was cut free from a Washington team going through a transitional period. That should be seen as a positive. Now he can have his agent call all around the NFL and find the perfect fit.