Adrian Peterson - Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Adrian Peterson

April 13th, 2017 at 9:45am CST by Zachary Links

Things might be looking up for Adrian Peterson. The veteran running back impressed the Patriots in his recent workout as he looked fast and explosive, Ed Werder of ESPN.com hears (Twitter link). Werder adds that the Saints might look to sign him before the draft, if the two sides can agree on money. Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) says a deal is not expected to come together in the next couple of weeks.

The Saints were the third club to host Peterson this offseason, following meetings with Seahawks and Patriots. The Saints reportedly did not put Peterson through a workout, but it sounds like they have real interest in signing him anyway. Adding Peterson before the draft would allow the Saints to put even more focus on building the defense and would give them a strong 1-2 combo with Mark Ingram.

The Saints can only spend so much for Peterson, but at this point, the running back probably can’t do much better than a one-year deal with a modest base salary. At least with the Saints, Peterson can see a realistic path to contention, even though they’re coming off of a challenging 2016.

Photo via Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.

South Notes: Falcons, Saints, Bucs, Texans

April 12th, 2017 at 7:06pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Falcons expect to lock up Devonta Freeman with an extension in the coming months, but the running back told Sporting News’ Alex Marvez he won’t skip the team’s offseason football activities if a new deal doesn’t come. “I’m doing everything,” said Freeman. “I love these guys. I love football.” Freeman was planning to seek “elite” money as of January, though it’s unclear if that remains the case. For now, he’s in line to make just under $1.8MM next season – the final year of his rookie contract – after combining for 2,100-plus rushing yards, 27 touchdowns (22 on the ground, five receiving) and 127 catches from 2015-16.

No Deal Yet Between Saints, Adrian Peterson

April 11th, 2017 at 9:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Saints’ meeting with free agent running back Adrian Peterson has concluded, and while no contract has yet been reached, the two parties plan to keep in contact, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who adds the visit “went well.”

New Orleans is the third club to host Peterson this offseason, joining the Seahawks and the Patriots, but the veteran back still hasn’t landed a new contract. Peterson, 32, is one of only four PFR Top 50 free agents that remains unsigned, and he’s the best running back left on the market. It’s unclear if price point is the key factor in Peterson’s unending availability, but Peterson himself has rejected the notion that he’s seeking $8MM per year.

The Saints, at first glance, don’t stand out as a logical suitor for Peterson. Quarterback Drew Brees leads a wide-open offense that finished second in the NFL in pass attempts last season, while Peterson’s main demerits remain his pass protection skills, his receiving ability, and his capacity to play in the shotgun.

At present, New Orleans has four running backs on it roster: Mark Ingram, Travaris Cadet, Daniel Lasco, and Marcus Murphy.

NFC Notes: Rams, Peterson, Lions, Bucs

April 9th, 2017 at 8:36pm CST by Ben Levine

The Rams have made some major changes to their scouting department. According to Jason La Canfora (via Twitter), the team has informed four evaluators that they won’t be back next season. This includes Director of Pro Personnel Ran Carthon, who had held that role for the past five seasons.

Meanwhile, Neil Stratton of InsideTheLeague.com reports (via Twitter) that area scouts Danton Barto, Evan Ardoin and Sean Gustus have also been dismissed. The trio had spent a combined 17 years with the organization.

While the timing may be curious, Michael Gehlken of ProFootballTalk.com notes that the Browns made a similar move around this time last season.

Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFC…

Free agent running back Adrian Peterson has confirmed to ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson that he will indeed be meeting with the Saints (Twitter link). The veteran will travel to New Orleans on Monday and visit with the Saints on Tuesday. The 32-year-old appeared in only three games last season, compiling 72 yards on 37 carries. The Saints are currently rostering four running backs in Mark Ingram, Travaris Cadet, Daniel Lasco, and Marcus Murphy.
Laken Tomlinson, the Lions‘ first-round pick in 2015, started 14 games as a rookie and entered the 2016 campaign as the club’s starting left guard. However, he eventually lost his job to rookie Graham Glasgow and only returned to the starting lineup when Glasgow was shifted to center to fill in for the injured Travis Swanson. Glasgow will enter 2017 as the favorite to be the starting left guard, and given that Detroit is also high on guard Joe Dahl, who was selected in the fifth round of last year’s draft, Tomlinson may be fighting just to stay on the roster, as Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com writes. Making things more difficult for him is the fact that Glasgow and Dahl were selected by current GM Bob Quinn, who inherited Tomlinson from the previous regime. Just last week, Quinn indicated that Tomlinson would not be cut prior to training camp, but a poor performance over the summer could certainly lead to his ouster.
We learned earlier today that running back Doug Martin has met with the Buccaneers and is expected to be present for the beginning of the club’s offseason program on Monday.

Rory Parks contributed to this post.

East Notes: Peterson, Sherman, Jets

April 9th, 2017 at 9:38am CST by Rory Parks

Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says that the Patriots‘ apparently had at least some interest in free agent RB Adrian Peterson, or they wouldn’t have put him through various tests and drills during his recent visit with the club (some have speculated that head coach Bill Belichick merely brought Peterson in as a favor for someone, like an agent or mutual friend). The Patriots have a take-it-or-leave-it proposal on the table for LeGarrette Blount, and if Blount does not return, the club could turn back to Peterson or could shift its attention to a draft class deep at the running back position.

Now let’s take a look at more East-related rumors:

In the same piece, Reiss confirms a report from several days ago indicating that the Patriots are not expected to trade for Richard Sherman. Our Zach Links suggests that could be a sign that Malcolm Butler is staying in New England.
Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com believes that the Eagles are likely to nab a cornerback with their first selection (No. 14 overall) in this month’s draft. However, he also notes that Florida State running back Dalvin Cook would be a perfect fit in Philadelphia’s offense, and that the Eagles should consider trading back up into the first round should Cook still be on the board in the latter stages of Day 1.
Eagles DT Beau Allen suffered a chest injury on Thursday and will have surgery. He is expected to miss four to six months.
Darryl Slater of NJ.com believes the only way Jets GM Mike Maccagnan loses his job after 2017 is if the club is “truly horrific.” Meanwhile, Slater believes head coach Todd Bowles could make it to 2018 if he can coax at least six wins out of Gang Green, but if he produces anything less, he will likely get the ax, even if Maccagnan sticks around.
The Giants are in desperate need of a quality offensive tackle, and Paul Schwartz of the New York Post says the team will certainly select Alabama OT Cam Robinson if he is still available when the Giants are on the clock in the first round. Otherwise, Schwartz suggests New York could wait until the second round and hope Western Michigan’s Taylor Moton or Western Kentucky’s Forrest Lamp (who projects as more of a guard in the NFL) is still on the board.

Saints To Meet With Adrian Peterson

April 6th, 2017 at 3:10pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints will meet Adrian Peterson next week, a source tells NFL.com’s Heath Evans (Twitter link). This will mark Peterson’s third free agent visit of the offseason.

Previously, Peterson met with the Seahawks and Patriots, but there’s little chance of him landing in Seattle and the odds of him going to New England don’t seem all that high either. The Seahawks are already well set at running back with Eddie Lacy, C.J. Prosise, and Thomas Rawls on the depth chart. The Patriots, meanwhile, have five running backs under contract after re-signing Brandon Bolden this week.

The Saints have Mark Ingram as their top running back with Travaris Cadet, Daniel Lasco, and Marcus Murphy in support. A backfield starring Ingram and Peterson would be lethal and would help keep defenses honest against the Saints’ pass-heavy offense. The Saints’ exact level of interest in Peterson isn’t clear, but they’re at least curious about him after losing Tim Hightower to free agency. Peterson, meanwhile, is looking to join a contender and, depending on how the rest of the offseason goes, the Saints could fit the bill.

It will be interesting to see whether the Saints are simply meeting with Peterson or if they will also put him through a workout. Peterson’s recent powwow with the Patriots included some drills.

Patriots Rumors: Sherman, Peterson, Gronk

April 5th, 2017 at 3:31pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest on the Patriots:

The Patriots didn’t just have Adrian Peterson in for a visit on Monday, they also put him through a tryout, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe tweets. Peterson left New England without a contract, but it has been said that the two sides could revisit a deal later. New England’s running back group currently consists of free agent addition Rex Burkhead, Dion Lewis, James White, and D.J. Foster. The team could also still circle back to LeGarrette Blount and Branden Bolden.
The Patriots have some interest in Richard Sherman, a source tells Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (on Twitter), but they’re not expected to engage in a full-on pursuit unless they lose Malcolm Butler. Other teams have pursued the Seahawks star more aggressively to this point, Howe adds. On Wednesday, Seattle GM John Schneider publicly admitted that the trade talk surrounding Sherman is “real.” Sherman, has two years left on a hefty four-year extension he signed in 2014, but any team trading for him would only be on the hook for his base salary and not his prorated signing bonus.
Earlier this week, we learned that Patriots tight end and professional wrestling enthusiast Rob Gronkowski expects to be ready for OTAs.

No Deal Yet For Patriots, Adrian Peterson

April 3rd, 2017 at 3:56pm CST by Zachary Links

There’s no deal between the Patriots and Adrian Peterson. At least, not yet. Peterson left his visit with New England without a contract, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Of course, the two sides could revisit a potential deal later, but he won’t be signing with the defending champs today.

Peterson’s meeting with the Patriots marked his second free agent visit in this cycle. He visited with the Seahawks, but Seattle’s signing of Eddie Lacy probably takes them off the board. The Giants, Texans, and Raiders were also linked to No. 28 after the Vikings declined his option, but so far we’ve only heard word of those teams not having interest. Right now, it’s hard to say where Peterson will wind up. It could be a while before he lands.

The Patriots, on some level, would make sense for Peterson. The future Hall of Famer is looking for an opportunity to win a Super Bowl ring and the Patriots might give him a better chance than anyone. Also, running back LeGarrette Blount remains in limbo and Peterson would be strong replacement if he is not re-signed. By the same token, Patriots owner Robert Kraft has been critical of Peterson’s off-field missteps in the past and it’s not clear if he’d be willing to overlook the child abuse allegations that came about three years ago.

For now, both the Patriots and Peterson are in a holding pattern. Peterson will continue to try and find some team with genuine interest in signing him right away. The Pats, meanwhile, will continue to negotiate with Blount and it’s possible that their Peterson powwow could help speed things along.

Photo courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.

Patriots Notes: Peterson, Gronk, Solder, OL

April 2nd, 2017 at 6:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here’s the latest coming out of New England, beginning with some fallout from the Adrian Peterson visit being scheduled.

Peterson posted a statement rejecting the notion he was seeking an $8MM-per-year contract, and USA Today’s Tom Pelissero notes (via Twitter) the running back has not focused as much on finances during his first free agent odyssey. Instead, the 32-year-old future Hall of Famer is gauging fits with respective franchises. In Pelissero’s mind, this fit is as good as any. Peterson has thrived when stationed in traditional backfields, and the Patriots were a middle-of-the-pack team in terms of shotgun usage last season (41.28 percent of their 2016 plays came out of the gun; that ranked 20th).
An incentive-laden deal close to the veteran minimum would make Peterson a fit in New England, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com notes. The Patriots have no running back set to count more than $3.2MM to their 2017 cap this year. Peterson hasn’t made less than $3MM in base salary since the 2009 season. The Pats boast $21MM-plus in cap space but are unlikely to splurge on Peterson at this juncture.
Entering his 11th NFL season, Peterson will tame his asking price for teams with championship aspirations, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Peterson has already visited the Seahawks, whose UFA running back visit bonanza ended with an Eddie Lacy accord, and has been connected to 2016 playoff teams like the Giants, Raiders and Packers. The Patriots and Packers lead the league in consecutive postseason berths, having appeared in eight straight postseason brackets.
Nate Solder came to the Pats as a replacement for Matt Light in 2011, but Light remained a starter that season before retiring. Solder’s most recent contract — a two-year, $20.062MM deal — expires after the 2017 season. Reiss points to the franchise’s forward-thinking ways as a sign Solder’s successor could be on tap this coming draft. Alluding to the shorter-length extension, Reiss believes a similar transition plan could be in the works. The Pats have Marcus Cannon signed long-term now on the right side. Solder will only be 29 in April, though, whereas Light was entering his age-33 season in 2011 when the Patriots knew, per Reiss, he was going to be in his final year.
For those of you who enjoy wrestling, Rob Gronkowski looked pretty healthy tonight. Making a cameo at WWE’s Wrestlemania 33, the Pats’ oft-injured tight end entered the ring and moved well, as Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com relays. Gronkowski underwent back surgery late last season and missed 11 Pats games (counting the playoffs) in their latest Super Bowl championship campaign.

Patriots To Host Adrian Peterson

April 2nd, 2017 at 4:46pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent running back Adrian Peterson will meet with the Patriots on Monday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Peterson, one of only four unsigned PFR Top 50 Free Agents, has been linked to a number of clubs this offseason, but he’s only met with the Seahawks thus far. In fact, most of the reports surrounding Peterson have involved teams who are not interested in signing him. Several rumored suitors – the Texans, Raiders, Giants – have shown little to no interest in Peterson since the Vikings declined his option in late February.

New England, meanwhile, has always loomed as a potential landing spot for Peterson, and the future Hall of Famer is reportedly open to accepting a discount in order to play for the Patriots. While the Pats have already added one free agent to their backfield this offseason (former Bengal Rex Burkhead), the club could still use another runner. LeGarrette Blount remains on the open market, so New England’s running back corps currently consists of Burkhead, Dion Lewis, James White, and D.J. Foster.

Peterson, if signed, would be simply the latest high-profile addition for a Patriots team that is not resting on its laurels after winning the Super Bowl in February. New England has pulled off three trades — adding Brandin Cooks, Dwayne Allen, and Kony Ealy in the process — while inking free agents Stephon Gilmore, Dont’a Hightower, Lawrence Guy, and Duron Harmon.