The Saints have traded Adrian Peterson to the Cardinals, as first reported by Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The two sides have since confirmed the swap via press release. The Saints will receive a conditional 2018 sixth-round pick, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
Peterson has struggled mightily in New Orleans, averaging just three yards per carry. The Cardinals are hoping that a change of scenery will help him get back to his old form. Perhaps the Cardinals are also banking on Peterson having fresh legs. He had only 27 rushing attempts through four games as Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara led New Orleans’ rushing attack. He’ll also have the benefit of two bye weeks – one with the Saints in Week 5 and one with the Cardinals in Week 8.
The Cardinals have been on the lookout for running back help ever since losing David Johnson to injury. Without one of the game’s most electrifying tailbacks, the Cardinals have been unable to get anything going on the ground.
Peterson ostensibly will slot in as the Cardinals’ top running back. Kerwynn Williams, Andre Ellington, Elijhaa Penny, and D.J. Foster will be there in support, but Chris Johnson will not be after receiving a pink slip on Tuesday.
From the get-go, Peterson seemed a suspect fit for the Saints. Despite his Hall of Fame credentials, Peterson did not look to be on the same level as Kamara or Ingram. When he wasn’t getting the playing time he expected, he immediately lashed out at head coach Sean Payton and went public with his displeasure. We heard in mid-September that the Saints didn’t have any intention of trading or releasing Peterson. Weeks later, they’ve had a change of heart.
Initially, when he signed his two-year, $7MM deal with New Orleans, Peterson insisted that he would not make a fuss over his workload.
“I don’t need all those carries to be my best,” Peterson said in the offseason. “I don’t think I became a great player by having to have 20 or 30 carries to get 200 yards. If they feed it to me, hey, I’m going to eat. Whenever I get opportunities, I’ll take advantage of them.”
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