Bears, Jaguars Pursued Adrian Peterson

Adrian Peterson did not find a 2018 landing spot until mid-August, but his Redskins work last season was not the only catalyst for his contract to be finalized much earlier this year.

Both the Bears and Jaguars were in on the Peterson market, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. This likely drove up Peterson’s price. Via the two-year, $8MM deal Washington authorized, the soon-to-be 34-year-old running back is in line to make nearly four times the veteran-minimum money he earned in 2018.

Peterson played quite well in spurts for the 2017 Cardinals, who featured a bottom-tier offensive line, but scant interest came his way last year. On a 2018 Redskins team that saw their line decimated, Peterson still eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards — his eighth such season. He became only the fourth running back to exceed 1,000 yards in his age-33 season (John Henry Johnson, Franco Harris, Frank Gore). Only two — Johnson and John Riggins — have ventured into four-digit territory past age 33.

While Peterson is unlikely to replicate his 1,042-yard season, with Derrius Guice expected to be healthy by Week 1, he will still be in position to add to his Hall of Fame career.

The Bears still have Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen under contract but added Mike Davis early in free agency. The Jaguars feature a less settled running back situation, having cut Carlos Hyde and potentially in line to lose T.J. Yeldon as a free agent. Only 2018 seventh-round pick David Williams resides behind Leonard Fournette, so Jacksonville will be adding to its backfield in some way soon. But Peterson opted for familiarity by staying in Washington, as he said previously he’d hoped to do

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