Adrian Peterson

Giants HC: We’ll “Take A Look” At Peterson

March 1st, 2017 at 11:28am CST by Zachary Links

Adrian Peterson appears poised to hit the open market after having his option declined by the Vikings. Already, we have at least one confirmed suitor. Coach Ben McAdoo told reporters today the team will “take a look” at the soon-to-be free agent (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle).

The Giants will have to make some changes in the running game after parting ways with Rashad Jennings earlier this offseason. Peterson comes with as many durability concerns as Jennings (if not more), but also offers greater upside. Peterson could serve as the Giants’ No. 1 back with rising sophomore Paul Perkins taking on a good chunk of the workload. The Giants could also supplement a Peterson-led RB depth chart with an addition or two in the draft or free agency. As Eli Manning heads into his late 30s, the Giants are eager to capitalize on their closing window and build a winner for 2017.

On Tuesday, a person close to Peterson told Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press the Raiders could also be a frontrunner for his services. Here’s a look at a few more potential landing spots from Peterson and other Giants items:

In addition to the Giants, the best team fits for Adrian Peterson would be the Seahawks, Patriots, Broncos, and Cowboys, Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter) opines.
Long snapper Zak DeOssie‘s deal with the Giants is for two years and $2.315MM, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com tweets. There is also $400K guaranteed in the deal.

Raiders To Pursue Adrian Peterson?

February 28th, 2017 at 1:54pm CST by Zachary Links

Now that the Vikings have declined Adrian Peterson‘s option for 2017, the running back is free to seek employment elsewhere. A person close to the veteran says that the Raiders could be his landing spot, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets.

The Raiders must address their running back situation this spring with Latavius Murray headed for free agency. The Raiders have decided against signing Murray to a new deal before March 9, but they could still consider a reunion once both sides have explored their options. We recently ranked Murray as the fourth-best running back eligible for free agency this year, though that was before the franchising of Le’Veon Bell and the additions of Peterson and Jamaal Charles to the group.

Peterson left the Raiders with one heck of an impression when he ran for 203 yards in Oakland in the 2015 season. Now, we’ll wait and see if they have him join forces with younger backs Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington.

Vikings Decline Adrian Peterson’s Option

February 28th, 2017 at 11:11am CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings announced that they are declining Adrian Peterson‘s option for the coming season. The move has been long expected.

Peterson’s option was worth $18MM for the 2017 season and there was no chance of the Vikings picking that up. Now that this formality is out of the way, the Vikings will work to re-sign Peterson on a cheaper deal. However, the veteran will probably first explore his options and determine his value.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would pursue Peterson if he is available. Still, AP might prefer to explore teams that are in need of a true No. 1 RB. Whether Dallas is in the cards remains to be seen, but Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that his strong preference will be to play alongside an established quarterback.

In 2016, Peterson suffered an unfortunate meniscus injury in Week 2 and racked up a meager 72 yards on 37 carries. In the year before that, however, he exploded for 1,485 rushing yards and eleven touchdowns. Even with questions about his age and injury concerns, Peterson remains an intriguing option for teams in need of rushing help.

NFC Notes: Vikings, Redskins, Eagles

February 24th, 2017 at 5:40pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Vikings general manager Rick Spielman hasn’t yet spoken with Adrian Peterson‘s agent regarding the running back’s future, but that will change at next week’s combine, tweets Jason Cole of Bleacher Report. Peterson is due a $6MM roster bonus March 11, two days after the market opens, and Spielman said Thursday that the seven-time Pro Bowler’s fate will become known prior to free agency. Spielman will also meet with the agent for cornerback Terence Newman next week, relays Cole. Newman is coming off his age-38 season, in which he totaled 38 tackles and an interception across 15 appearances (nine starts), and is on track to hit free agency. The 2016 campaign was Newman’s second in Minnesota, which re-upped him to a $3MM pact last March.

More on the Vikings and two other NFC franchises:

The likelihood is that the Redskins won’t retain safety DeAngelo Hall at his $5MM-plus cap hit for 2017, according to Rich Tandler of CSN Mid-Atlantic. The club will either release the 33-year-old, which would save $4.25MM, or keep him at a lesser rate, Tandler suggests. Hall sat out 13 games last season on account of a late-September ACL tear and has missed a combined 31 contests since 2014.
Wide receiver Josh Doctson, another member of the Redskins who wasn’t much of a factor in 2016, is making encouraging progress in his recovery from a strained right Achilles’ tendon, details Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Doctson hasn’t had any setbacks since doctors cleared him to run earlier this month, and the Redskins “are closely monitoring his progress” with fellow wideouts Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson set to reach the open market. After going 22nd in last year’s draft, Doctson missed all but two games and caught two passes as a rookie.
While Eagles pass rusher Connor Barwin has expressed a willingness to take a pay cut to remain in Philadelphia, it’s time for both sides to move on, opines Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com. Barwin probably wouldn’t accept enough of a reduction from the $7.75MM he’s due next season to make keeping him worthwhile for the team, writes Zangaro, who notes that getting rid of the 30-year-old would open up more playing time for Vinny Curry. Overall, Barwin has been quite productive during his four-year stint with the Eagles, but his numbers declined last season in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz‘s scheme. Thus, Zangaro argues that Barwin deserves to play in a defense that’s more suited to his abilities. The eight-year veteran won’t have any difficulty finding a job if the Eagles do let him go.
Although they had interest in Alterraun Verner when he was on the open market in 2015, the Vikings have not reached out to the cornerback’s reps at this point, per Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (Twitter link). Verner became a free agent when the Buccaneers released him Thursday.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Vikes Notes: AP, QBs, Kalil, Floyd, Greenway

February 23rd, 2017 at 6:22pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has a $6MM roster bonus due March 11, two days after the market opens, but general manager Rick Spielman told reporters Thursday that the rusher’s future “will get addressed here before free agency starts” (via Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune). Spielman hasn’t yet spoken to Peterson or his representative, but it’s fair to suggest that the Vikings likely won’t exercise the seven-time Pro Bowler’s option. Even if they don’t, though, Spielman indicated he’s amenable to bringing back the soon-to-be 32-year-old Peterson at a lesser cost in 2017. “If we don’t exercise that option, we always will keep the door open on all of our players,” Spielman said.

Regardless of whether Peterson returns next season as Minnesota’s No. 1 back, it has “got to run the football better,” head coach Mike Zimmer told Lindsey Young of the team’s website. The Vikings finished dead last in rushing (1,205) and yards per carry (3.2) last season, and barely having Peterson available didn’t help. While Peterson posted a microscopic 1.9 YPC, he did it over just 37 carries, having missed most of the year because of a torn meniscus.

North Notes: Peterson, T. Taylor, Steelers

February 19th, 2017 at 12:29pm CST by Rory Parks

We learned yesterday that at least a few GMs are concerned about how much Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has left and whether or not he’d be willing to accept a contract commensurate with a running back on the downside of his career. The Giants are one team that Peterson has indicated he would like to play for if he does not remain in Minnesota, but as Paul Schwartz of the New York Post writes, Big Blue has expressed no interest in acquiring the former league MVP (although the Giants have not indicated that they are uninterested either, Peterson just does not appear to fit from a schematic standpoint). Of course, the more teams that drop out of the Peterson race, or decline to enter the race at all, the more likely it is that he will stay with the Vikings on a lesser salary.

Now for more notes from the league’s north divisions:

Speaking of Peterson, Jim Souhan of the Star Tribune lays out a list of teams that the long-time Vikings star is most likely to play for next season, and the Buccaneers are at the top of the list.
The Lions signed tight end Cole Wick as a UDFA last offseason, and he managed to stick on the team’s 53-man roster, catching two passes in sporadic playing time over six regular-season games before spending the final two months on IR. But as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes, Wick could find himself with a more significant role in 2017, as he and Eric Ebron are the only tight ends under contract who played a down for Detroit last year.
The Bears are expected to hire Derius Swinton as the club’s assistant special teams coach, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets. Swinton previously served in that capacity with Chicago in 2015 but became the 49ers’ special teams coordinator last season.
Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that the chances of the Browns‘ acquiring Tyrod Taylor increased when the club hired his former Bills quarterbacks coach, David Lee, two weeks ago. However, Cabot believes Cleveland would still prefer to swing a trade for Patriots backup signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo. If they cannot land Garoppolo, the Browns will look to Taylor, Mike Glennon, etc., but even if they acquire one of those players, Cabot believes the team should still draft UNC’s Mitch Trubisky with the No. 1 overall selection.
The Steelers have a lot of question marks at the wide receiver position beyond Antonio Brown, as Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes. Indeed, Martavis Bryant needs to be reinstated by the league following his season-long suspension, Markus Wheaton will probably be let go in free agency, and Sammie Coates was dogged by injuries to his finger and groin and could be facing knee surgery. As such, Dulac believes the team could spend at least one early-round selection on a wideout. John Ross and JuJu Smith-Schuster are two prospects who could be available when the Steelers are on the clock for the first time.

GMs Skeptical Of Adrian Peterson’s Future?

February 18th, 2017 at 3:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Adrian Peterson might not be able to be especially picky when it comes to selecting a second NFL employer, provided the Vikings send him to free agency for the first time in his career. Surveying several GMs, CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora reports a skepticism exists about multiple facets of Peterson’s career going forward.

The aforementioned GMs expressed “real concerns” about how much Peterson has left and whether or not he’d be willing to accept a contract commensurate with a running back on the downside of his career. The high-level decision-makers wonder if the soon-to-be 32-year-old ball-carrier would take a one-year, $5MM deal with an incentive-laden structure if that’s what a team was offering. He made at least $11MM in base salary from 2013-16.

“It only takes one team to do something stupid,” an NFL contract negotiator told La Canfora, “but I can’t see there being much out there for him once the Vikings let him go.”

As far as possible interest in going to the Giants or Cowboys, La Canfora notes Big Blue would be better off using potential Peterson money to upgrade their offensive line and target a younger back to complement Paul Perkins, while the reporter questions how Peterson would co-exist with Ezekiel Elliott in a situation where the three-time rushing champion would be a backup. The Patriots warranted a mention here, given their penchant for cheap veterans, but La Canfora suggests the running back’s recent film sample may not appeal to Bill Belichick. Despite winning the 2015 rushing crown, Peterson’s averaged 2.9 yards per carry in the eight games prior to his meniscus tear in September of 2016.

Noting questions would ensue about Peterson’s willingness to be a five- or 10-touch player as a backup on a contending team, along with those about his durability, La Canfora does not expect Peterson to encounter a seller’s market. Instead, a Frank Gore-esque contract (the Colts’ starter signed for $12MM over three years in 2015) could be the reality with which Peterson is confronted.

NFC East Notes: Giants, Cowboys, Redskins

February 16th, 2017 at 7:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Running back Adrian Peterson reportedly has interest in joining the Giants if he’s released by the Vikings this offseason, and last night the veteran back sent out a cryptic tweet that will only add fuel to the Big Blue fire. “The Giants been making some interesting moves,” tweeted Peterson, presumably referring to New York’s release of running back Rashad Jennings and wide receiver Victor Cruz. The Giants might be interested in Peterson if he comes at an affordable price, as Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com writes, but the 31-year-old doesn’t appear to be a scheme fit. Peterson averages roughly 1.2 fewer yards per carry out of the shotgun, and New York uses the shotgun formation on two-thirds of its offensive snaps, as Evan Silva and Raymond Summerlin of Rotoworld tweet.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

Although the Cowboys already employ running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Alfred Morris, Darren McFadden isn’t ruling out a return to Dallas. “I get the feeling that the Cowboys wouldn’t mind keeping me,” the 29-year-old McFadden told SiriusXM NFL Radio today (Twitter link). McFadden, who only appeared in four games in 2016 after missing most of the year with injury, was mentioned in trade talks both during the summer and near October’s trade deadline. A 1,000 yard rusher just a season ago, McFadden could certainly to Dallas as a depth piece, but would receive more playing time elsewhere.
The Redskins have to consider other personnel factors as they discuss an extension with quarterback Kirk Cousins, opines John Keim of ESPN.com in a pair of articles. For one, Washington has other players it will need to lock up in the coming years — offensive linemen Morgan Moses and Spencer Long will need new deals in 2018, while wide receiver Jamison Crowder and linebacker Preston Smith could be extended the following year. Additionally, the Redskins will need to ensure they keep enough cap space available to place weapons around Cousins, with solid drafts the key to keeping costs down.
Now that the Giants have released Cruz, the club could be on the lookout for a wide receiver in free agency, as Ralph Vacchiano of SNY writes. While New York is unlikely to target expensive options such as Alshon Jeffery or Terrelle Pryor, the Rams’ Kenny Britt or the Ravens’ Kamar Aiken could make sense next to Odell Beckham Jr. Earlier this year, PFR’s Connor Byrne tossed out Brandon LaFell (Bengals), Terrance Williams (Cowboys), and Justin Hunter (Bills) as pass-catchers who could be on the Giants’ radar.

Cowboys Are Potential Destination For DeMarcus Ware, Adrian Peterson

February 5th, 2017 at 12:11pm CST by Rory Parks

The Cowboys’ unexpected 2016 season, which was filled with so much promise, ultimately ended in heartbreak. However, with Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott leading the charge for the foreseeable future, there is every reason to think their championship window is wide open, and they may look to supplement their current roster with a couple of big name veterans.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, linebacker DeMarcus Ware, who is eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason, is “leaving the door open” to return to Dallas, where his prolific career began in 2005. Ware, of course, has spent the last three seasons in Denver, capturing a Super Bowl ring in the process. His 2016 season was cut short due to a back injury, and though that injury threatened to end his playing career, he underwent successful back surgery and announced in December that he planned to return for the 2017 season. Recently, he told ESPN’s Hannah Storm (article via Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com) that he felt like a “a new man,” and he confirmed his intention to play next year. The surefire Hall-of-Famer has been honored with four first-team All-Pro selections and has racked up 138.5 sacks in his career.

Running back Adrian Peterson has been connected to the Cowboys in the past, but that was before the team drafted Elliott, who took the league by storm in his rookie campaign. Peterson is still under Vikings control through 2017, but his cap hit next season will be an unpalatable $18MM, so if the two sides cannot agree on a restructured deal, Peterson could become available.

The 31-year-old has been named to seven Pro Bowls and was the league MVP in 2012, but while his 2016 was cut short due to injury, he did not look like his old self even before the injury, and perhaps he is at the point where he would welcome a role as a complementary back as opposed to the workhorse that he has always been. That still seems like a bit of a stretch at this point, and it’s not as if the Cowboys have enough cap room to overpay a backup running back, but the possibility is apparently there. Indeed, as Schefter notes, Peterson recently named the Texans, Buccaneers, and Giants as teams he would consider joining if he did not finish his career in Minnesota, but here is a belief in league circles that Dallas would definitely be in play as well.

Vikings GM Rick Spielman Discusses Offseason, Draft, Peterson

January 24th, 2017 at 4:58pm CST by Ben Levine

This will be a critical offseason for the Vikings and general manager Rick Spielman. After starting the season with five straight victories, the Vikings went 3-8 the rest of the way. This was the team’s third playoff absence since Spielman took over in 2012, with the Vikings haven’t advanced past the wild card round during their two postseason appearances.

Besides the motivation to transform the team into a playoff contender, the Vikings will also have to make tough decisions on their handful of impending free agents. Sid Hartman of the Minnesota Star Tribune notes that the team has 14 players who will hit free agency, including cornerbacks Captain Munnerlyn and Terence Newman, running back Matt Asiata, linebacker Audie Cole, tight end Rhett Ellison, offensive tackle Matt Kalil, and wideout Cordarrelle Patterson.

Spielman talked to Hartman about his preparation for the offseason, his evaluation of this year’s draft class, and Adrian Peterson‘s NFL future. The whole article is worth reading, but we collected some of the notable quotes below.

On the front office’s preparation for the offseason:

“We started our process last week, met with all the coaches and the scouts. We kind of went through our personnel, where we’re at, we identified our needs, and we’ll start over the next month here putting together our game plan on where we can attack to fill those needs, whether it be free agency or we have to wait through until the draft. There are going to be some things that can happen.”

On how the front office will evaluate ways to improve the roster:

“The most important process is to be honest with yourself on where your roster is and be honest on the type of personnel. Then once you identify those needs, and we do it where the coaches are involved, the scouts are involved, and then I’ll sit with Coach [Mike] Zimmer, [Executive Vice President] Rob Brzezinski, [assistant GM] George Paton, and we’ll finalize our game plan and get ready to improve the roster.”

On running back Adrian Peterson’s future in the NFL:

“I think Adrian will always defy the odds. He got hurt this year, but I still think he has a lot of football left in him. Those will be some of the tough decisions we have to make, and what you do is when you go through this process you’re trying to weigh in where are you going to put your resources and financially where are you going to spend your money.

“We have a lot of young guys coming up this year. I think Xavier Rhodes is an extremely talented young player that we’re going to have to be mentally prepared to address his contract. Those decisions will be made once we get through the free agency and draft meetings. But I think Adrian Peterson has football left in him.”

On the team’s draft strategy:

“We have eight draft picks going into this draft, my goal was to have 10 or more by the time we get out of this draft. I do think we have to replenish our roster with some youth. Last year we signed a lot of our players back, a lot of free agents back on the roster, and this year I know we’re going to have to get some of the younger players going. This new class coming in, from a draft standpoint, will be a part of it as well.”

On his early evaluations of the draft class:

“We had our first meeting in December, and then our scouts will be coming in in a couple weeks and head down to the Senior Bowl. I saw most of those kids that are going to be in the Senior Bowl, but I think offensively the two strongest positions — and I don’t know all the juniors that are coming out or who’s staying or going and that won’t be decided for a couple weeks — but it looks like an extremely strong running back class. I think the tight end class is going to be extremely strong.

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