Adrian Peterson - Pro Football Rumors

Multiple Teams Were Interested In Adrian Peterson; Derrick Henry Done For Year?

November 7th, 2021 at 12:41pm CST by Rory Parks

Veteran running back Adrian Peterson signed with the Titans this week after the team placed stud RB Derrick Henry on IR. And though his audition with Tennessee was the first time we heard anything on Peterson since July, there was apparently a fair amount of interest in his services.

Per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the Ravens, Raiders, Bills, Falcons, and Dolphins all expressed interest in Peterson, the three-time NFL rushing leader. Peterson also says Dancing with the Stars — which has made a habit of casting current and former NFLers — made him an offer in September, an offer that he declined because he believed he would have the opportunity to sign with Baltimore.

The Ravens lost their top three RBs before the season even started, and they ended up signing veterans Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman, and Le’Veon Bell to help fill the void, so Peterson was right to think that he might get a shot in Baltimore. That obviously didn’t happen, but the future Hall-of-Famer will get a prime opportunity with Tennessee.

At 6-2, the Titans are currently at the top of the AFC standings, so Peterson will immediately get some action for a playoff contender, something he did not get to experience over the last three seasons (he spent 2018-19 with the Washington Football Team and 2020 with the Lions). Of course, losing Henry — the engine that makes Tennessee’s offense run, with all due respect to A.J. Brown and Ryan Tannehill — could seriously undermine the club’s chances at securing a first-round bye.

Speaking of Henry, Schefter passes along some bad news for Titans fans. The last report on Henry’s foot injury suggested that he might be back as soon as Week 15, or at least in time for the playoffs, but one source tells ESPN that it would be very surprising if Henry were able to return at all this season.

Without Henry, the Titans will forge ahead with Peterson, Jeremy McNichols, and D’Onta Foreman.

Titans To Promote Adrian Peterson

November 5th, 2021 at 10:07am CST by Zachary Links

The Titans are promoting Adrian Peterson from the practice squad to the 53-man roster (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). Garafolo adds that this is not a weekly elevation, so Peterson is now a full-fledged member of the active roster.

Peterson signed a taxi squad deal earlier this week to help fill in for the injured. Derrick Henry. The Titans’ star RB will be out for 6-to-10 weeks with a foot fracture and Peterson should help to keep the ground game moving. Jeremy McNichols is still expected to serve as the Titans’ RB1 on Sunday, but don’t be surprised if Peterson gets involved quickly.

Peterson’s last action came in 2020 with the Lions when he notched 604 yards and seven rushing touchdowns. The 36-year-old needs another 180 rushing yards to hit 15,000 lifetime. And, with another 500 yards, he’ll top Barry Sanders for fourth all time on the list.

He’ll try to add to those totals with the Titans, starting this weekend against the Rams.

Titans To Sign Adrian Peterson

November 1st, 2021 at 1:49pm CST by Zachary Links

The Titans have agreed to a practice squad deal with Adrian Peterson (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The practice squad part seems to be a formality, however, as RapSheet hears that he’ll soon be elevated to the 53-man roster.

Peterson will help fill in for Derrick Henry, who will miss anywhere between 6-to-10 weeks with a foot fracture. This marks the veteran’s first deal of 2021 and a huge opportunity for him to defy Father Time once again. While Peterson is years removed from his prime years as a top-tier rusher, he was still productive with 604 yards and seven rushing touchdowns for the Lions in 2020.

“The training is going well and I’m going to control the things that I can control right now, and, when that time comes, somebody will give me a call,” Peterson said over the summer (via Aaron Wilson of SportsTalk 790). “[A chance] is all I’m asking for. My body feels good…I still feel young. I still feel good. I’m ready to play ball.”

Peterson, 36, is just 180 rushing yards shy of 15,000 for his career. Depending on how the Titans use him, he could be just a few weeks away from joining Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Frank Gore and Barry Sanders in the elusive 15,000-yard club. He’s also about 500 yards away from leapfrogging Sanders for fourth all time in rushing yards and six rushing TDs away from besting Marcus Allen for third place.

Peterson might not start immediately for the Titans, but he’ll surely stand as their biggest name at RB while Henry is out. Once he’s promoted to the 53-man roster, he’ll slot somewhere alongside Jeremy McNichols on the depth chart.

Titans To Place Derrick Henry On IR

November 1st, 2021 at 12:35pm CST by Zachary Links

Titans running back Derrick Henry will undergo foot surgery on Tuesday morning, head coach Mike Vrabel announced (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com). Vrabel didn’t specify a timeline for his recovery, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter) hears that he’ll be out for somewhere between 6-10 weeks.

Although that’s bad news for the Titans, it’s a better outcome than what was expected just a few hours ago. Henry was feared to have suffered a more serious metatarsal fracture, one that surely would have left him in a boot for the rest of 2021. Now, the Titans could have Henry back as soon as Week 15. Or, if he needs additional time to recover, there’s still a chance that he could suit up for the postseason.

Up until last night’s injury, Henry was on pace for another stellar season. He currently leads the league with 937 rushing yards — 300+ yards more than Browns RB Nick Chubb. Had he stayed healthy, Henry could have potentially matched last year’s eye-popping total of 2,027 yards. At minimum, he probably would have captured his third consecutive NFL rushing title.

Without Henry, the Titans are set to deploy Jeremy McNichols as their RB1 with support from Khari Blasingame and Dontrell Hilliard at RB. However, they’ll also audition a few free agents this week, including Adrian Peterson (Twitter link via Rapoport). Peterson might not be the player he once was, but he still managed 604 yards and seven TDs via ground with the Lions last year.

Adrian Peterson Plans To Play In 2021

July 16th, 2021 at 8:47pm CST by Zachary Links

Even after 14 seasons in the NFL, running back Adrian Peterson still feels “young.” The veteran has yet to land a deal, but he’s still intent on playing in 2021. has plans to play a 15th season in the NFL. He’s just waiting for the right opportunity.

With less than two weeks until training camps begin, Peterson updated his status on finding his next team. Peterson still hopes to play for a Super Bowl contender, but is taking his time until a team comes around.

“The training is going well and I’m going to control the things that I can control right now, and, when that time comes, somebody will give me a call,” Peterson said (via Aaron Wilson of SportsTalk 790). “That’s all I’m asking for. My body feels good. I came out healthy from last season. My body feels strong. I still feel young. I still feel good. I’m ready to play ball.”

Peterson, 36, previously expressed interest in re-signing with the Lions, but we haven’t heard much on that frnt lately.Signed to a veteran-minimum deal, Peterson made 10 starts for the Lions and gained 604 yards on the ground (3.9 per carry). He has added seven touchdowns with Detroit, increasing his 14-year total to 124.

Now, he’s just 180 rushing yards shy of 15,000 for his career. Currently, only Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Frank Gore and Barry Sanders reside in the 15,000-yard club. And, with another ~500 yards, he’ll eclipse Sanders for fourth all time. Meanwhile, with another six rushing touchdowns, he’ll top Marcus Allen for third on the list.

“The training is going well and I’m going to control the things that I can control right now, and, when that time comes, somebody will give me a call,” Peterson said. “That’s all I’m asking for. My body feels good. I came out healthy from last season. My body feels strong. I still feel young. I still feel good. I’m ready to play ball.”

Adrian Peterson Wants To Stay With Lions

December 22nd, 2020 at 6:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Fond of indicating plans to play until or close to his age-40 season, Adrian Peterson would like to stay with his current team beyond 2020.

The future Hall of Fame running back said he wants to re-sign with the Lions, veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson tweets. Peterson signed with the Lions shortly after Washington released him this summer, and the 35-year-old back has again proven productive without offseason acclimation.

Signed to a veteran-minimum deal, Peterson has made 10 starts for the Lions and gained 531 yards on the ground (3.7 per carry). He has added six touchdowns with Detroit, increasing his 14-year total to 123, and is barely 250 rushing yards shy of 15,000 for his career. Only Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Frank Gore and Barry Sanders reside in the 15,000-yard club. Peterson, whose 145 carries are tops among Lions this season, is barely 500 yards behind Sanders for fourth all time.

While Peterson has logged 3,181 carries (sixth all time), he has continued to produce as a late-career nomad. He rushed for 1,000 yards with Washington in 2018, despite signing there that August, and surpassed 1,000 scrimmage yards in each of his two Washington campaigns. With Detroit, he has shared the backfield with rookie D’Andre Swift. The Lions have Kerryon Johnson under contract through 2021 as well, though Peterson has seen far more work than the 2018 second-round pick.

The Lions are set to hire a new GM and new head coach soon, so it will be interesting to see if Peterson will receive another chance in Detroit.

This Date In Transactions History: Vikings Place Adrian Peterson On IR

September 25th, 2020 at 11:13am CST by Zachary Links

Four years ago, Adrian Peterson was counted out for the season, and possibly for his career. The Vikings placed Adrian Peterson on the injured reserve list with a torn meniscus. Even though he was 31 at the time (old, by running back standards), Peterson vowed to return to the field and continue his career long past the 2016 season.

Peterson made his way back to the field after some unsettling off-the-field events, but many felt that this was different. Peterson’s odometer was already way up there – in 2015, he led the league in rushing yards (1,485) and touchdowns (11) with an NFL-high 327 carries. With nearly 2,400 totes in total, it was fair to wonder if Peterson had exhausted his tank.

In Week 15, Peterson made good on his promise to come back from IR, though it was a forgettable game for both the veteran and the Vikings. That game against the Colts would turn out to be his final contest in purple. In February of 2017, the Vikings announced that they would not exercise his option for the coming year, making him a free agent. That led Peterson to the Saints, where he signed a two-year, $7MM deal that lasted just four games. Unhappy with his minimal role, Sean Payton & Co. shipped him off the the Cardinals for a conditional sixth-round pick.

Done? Nope. In his first game with the Cardinals, Peterson rumbled his way to 134 yards and two touchdowns, leading his new squad to victory over the Bucs. Later that year, he turned in another stellar performance against the 49ers, going off of 159 yards and staying strong through 37 (!) carries. His final tally for 2017 (3.4 yards per carry) didn’t lead to a ton of offers, but he found a home with the Washington [Football Team] on a minimum-salaried deal. Peterson would spend two years as the club’s primary tailback, topping 1,000 yards in his first season and averaging a solid 4.2 yards per carry on the whole.

Now, at the age of 35, Peterson is still doing his thing in Detroit. With a lighter workload, Peterson has 6.4 yards per carry through the first two games of the season. Whether he can meet his stated goal of playing until the age of 40 remains to be seen, but we know better than to bet against him.

AFC West Notes: Chiefs, Sutton, Raiders

September 10th, 2020 at 6:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Clyde Edwards-Helaire will make his NFL debut Thursday night, doing so without the benefit of preseason carries. The Chiefs brought back both Darrel Williams and Darwin Thompson to serve as his backups, but the defending Super Bowl champions considered a somewhat higher-profile RB2 option. A year after the Chiefs scooped up LeSean McCoy following his Bills release, they had interest in Adrian Peterson, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Peterson, who played under Eric Bieniemy from 2007-10 when the current Chiefs OC was the Vikings’ running backs coach, was interested in a Chiefs deal as well, per Herbie Teope of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter). COVID-19 testing and the team’s first game being on Thursday night nixed a potential partnership, Fowler adds. Peterson signed with the Lions on Sunday.

Ahead of the Chiefs kicking off the 2020 season in less than an hour, here is the latest from the AFC West:

The Broncos have already lost their best defensive player for the season, in all likelihood, with Von Miller opting to undergo an ankle surgery that will require a months-long recovery process. They now have their top offensive talent dealing with an injury. Courtland Sutton went down during practice Thursday, suffering what an MRI determined to be an AC joint sprain, Mike Klis of 9News notes. While Sutton will be classified as day-to-day, the third-year wideout’s right shoulder malady has his status in doubt for the Broncos’ Monday-night opener against the Titans.
The Chiefs made a few mid-level moves to bolster their depth chart this year, from re-signing wideout Demarcus Robinson and backup quarterback Chad Henne to adding offensive linemen Kelechi Osemele, Daniel Kilgore and Mike Remmers. Kansas City, however, does enter the season with a thin cornerback group thanks to Kendall Fuller‘s Washington return and Bashaud Breeland‘s four-game suspension. GM Brett Veach confirmed the team considered signing a veteran early in camp but saw enough from fourth-round rookie L’Jarius Sneed and young replacement options Rashad Fenton and Antonio Hamilton to stick with the status quo, per Adam Teicher of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Lynn Bowden Jr.‘s Raiders tenure not lasting until Week 1 represented one of this summer’s more surprising developments, but the team viewed the third-round pick as ineffective on the field and a potential red flag off it. A lack of explosiveness contributed to the Raiders shipping Bowden to the Dolphins, according to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, who adds the team was also concerned about the Kentucky product’s off-field approach — particularly after the team’s move to Las Vegas (subscription required). The Raiders ate Bowden’s $985K signing bonus to send the gadget player to Miami.

Lions Sign Adrian Peterson

September 6th, 2020 at 8:18am CST by Rory Parks

Adrian Peterson is back in the NFC North. After being released by Washington on Friday, the longtime Viking and future Hall-of-Fame running back is signing with the Lions, as veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson was first to report (Twitter link).

Per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, Peterson’s deal with Detroit will be a one-year pact worth a minimum of $1.05MM, though there are incentives to push that number a bit higher (Twitter link). Sources tell Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that the deal will max out at $2.3MM and that the incentives are based upon yardage and touchdowns.

Although the Lions’ RB room is crowded, it also has a few question marks. The club selected Kerryon Johnson in the second round of the 2018 draft, and while he has shown flashes of promise, he has missed significant time over his first two years in the league due to knee injuries. Detroit added one of the best RB prospects in this year’s draft in Georgia product D’Andre Swift, but Swift missed nearly two weeks of training camp with a knee injury.

So there is definitely a possibility that Peterson could play a significant role, at least early on in the season as Swift tries to make up for lost time. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press believes Peterson will end up poaching more of Johnson’s expected work than Swift’s, including, perhaps, goal-line touches.

With the Lions, Peterson will reunite with Darrell Bevell, Detroit’s offensive coordinator who served in the same capacity with the Vikings during Peterson’s first four years in Minnesota (when he piled up four Pro Bowl nods and two First Team All-Pro selections). As Peterson told Anderson, “[the Lions are] giving me an opportunity to play. I know Coach Bevell from my days in Minnesota. Ultimately I feel comfortable going there and helping them to get better.”

Peterson, 35, has rushed for 14,216 yards, putting him roughly 1,000 yards behind Barry Sanders for fourth on the NFL’s all-time career list. He might not be the player he once was, but he did average a solid 4.2 yards per carry over the 2018-19 campaigns with Washington. Between him, Johnson, and Swift, the Lions should be able to improve upon the 103.1 rushing yards per game they mustered in 2019, which put them near the bottom third of the league.

Washington Releases Adrian Peterson

September 4th, 2020 at 9:12am CST by Zachary Links

The Washington Football Team has released Adrian Peterson, per a club announcement. The timing of the move is a bit curious, as Peterson was projected to serve as the team’s leading running back.

Even with Derrius Guice out of the picture, Washington didn’t see a place for Peterson, who was set to earn $2.25MM in 2020. By releasing him, they’ll save ~$2.4MM against $750K in dead money. The backfield will now be led by third-round rookie Antonio Gibson with support from the talented and oft-injured Bryce Love. Peyton Barber and J.D. McKissic round out the RB group.

Between 2018 and 2019, Peterson averaged a solid 4.2 yards per carry and suited up for 31 of a possible 32 games. For his career, Peterson has rushed for 14,216 yards, putting him roughly 1,000 yards behind Barry Sanders for fourth on the NFL’s all-time career list. As you might expect, the 35-year-old tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter) that he still wants to play. .

Peterson has racked up quite an odometer with 3,036 carries over the course of 13 seasons. Still, he remains productive, and insistent that he’s nowhere near the end.

“I can see myself playing to 40,” Peterson said in December. “People look at that and say, ‘oh my god; that’s crazy.’ But they’ve been doing that for the past two years and surprise, surprise I’m still able to do it at a high level.”