Vikings coach MikeZimmer is taking some time off as he recovers from eye surgery, but the 60-year-old vowed that he’d be back before long.
“I’ll be back shortly. One eye or two, it really doesn’t matter. I’m going to be back,” Zimmer said (via Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune). “So we can put the retiring thing or whatever to bed quickly.”
The coach revealed that there haven’t been any setbacks since he underwent surgery earlier this month, and he indicated that a recent examination revealed that everything was progressing positvely. Zimmer is ultimately hoping to be back on the sideline in early June for organized team activities.
“I miss being in the meetings with players and I especially miss being out on the field, where I can give immediate feedback on technique and things like that,” he said.
Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFC…
During the NFL Draft, 49ers coach KyleShanahan called tight end Vance McDonald to update him on potential trade talks. The 26-year-old offensive weapon appreciated his coach’s willingness to be completely transparent about the rumors. “Basically, it’s just like any other team in the NFL would do,” McDonald told Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “If you’re a 2-14 team, obviously, there are a lot of things you can improve on, a lot of spots that need to be filled. There are a lot of things you need to improve upon in the offseason. So if teams are going to call and inquire about you, then obviously the next step is to … call around to every other team…So that’s exactly what happened to me. It isn’t like they don’t want me here. There was never a lack of communication on any level.” McDonald finished last season with career-highs in receiving yards (391) and touchdowns (four).
Running back Adrian Peterson is still trying to figure out his fit with the Saints, but his teammates are confident that his presence will result in one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. “I think he’s looking forward to that,” said fullback John Kuhn (via Brett Martel of the Associated Press). “Not to put words in his mouth, but everybody in here, especially on the offensive side, realizes that the more weapons that we have, the more explosive we can be.”
Cardinals wideout Jaron Brown was expected to play a significant role during the 2016 season, but a torn ACL ended his campaign prematurely. Despite the injury, the organization still decided to sign the former undrafted free agent to an extension. Now, Brown is hoping to repay the Cardinals for their good will gesture. “That meant a lot,” Brown told Kent Somers of AZCentral.com. “You don’t see that too many times, and it kind of shows that faith and loyalty in me to get back to where I was. It was good for both sides.”
Although Adrian Peterson‘s two-year deal with the Saints has a maximum value of $15.25MM, the veteran running back will have to work to reach that total, as the majority of that figure can only be attained through incentives, as Nick Underhill of the Advocate details.
Incentives are linked to both Peterson’s statistics and New Orleans’ team performance, per Underhill. Peterson can earn $150K, $250K, $750K, or $1MM by rushing for 750, 1,000, 1,250, or 1,500 yards, respectively, in each of the next two seasons. He can bring in another $250K, $500K, or $750K if he scores six, eight, or 10 touchdowns, respectively, although Peterson will only unlock the $750K incentive if he also leads the NFL in rushing scores.
If Peterson rushes for 750 yards and the Saints earn a postseason berth, more incentives are available, according to Underhill. Making the playoffs alone in that scenario is worth $250K to Peterson. A conference championship appearance is worth $500K, while a Super Bowl victory would bring Peterson $1MM.
Peterson can also earn $400K in per-game roster bonuses, although that figure could increase based on his 2017 incentives. The amount of incentives Peterson earns in 2017 will be tacked on to his per-game bonus in 2018, per Underhill. Peterson can also take in $73,529 for each week he makes the Saints’ 53-man roster.
With just one year and $3.5MM guaranteed on his Saints contract, Adrian Peterson is far removed from those lavish salaries he collected in his final years with the Vikings. However, the relocated running back can collect some additional cash via incentives — some of which being attached to reasonable figures. The future Hall of Fame back has $2.75MM in incentives tied to various milestones in each of the next two years, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets. The 32-year-old running back can collect incentive cash by rushing for 750 yards, scoring at least six touchdowns, or the Saints making the playoffs. Volin doesn’t specify how much each milestone would pay out, but these aren’t outrageous numbers. Peterson scored at least 10 touchdowns in all eight of his seasons that didn’t involve a major September setback. However, with Mark Ingram in the picture, there won’t be as many TD opportunities. Ingram has scored 25 touchdowns over the past three seasons.
Additionally, Volin notes a $750K roster bonus will be tied to Peterson’s 2018 New Orleans employment. That’s rather light compared to the massive $18MM option that was tied to the 2017 season on Peterson’s Vikings contract. But a Saints return in what would be Peterson’s age-33 season in ’18 likely hinges on the running back’s health.
Here’s the latest out of the NFC.
The Cardinals are following through with their idea to flip their starting tackles. Jared Veldheer will move to right tackle, while third-year man D.J. Humphries‘ future will be on the left side. Veldheer initially voiced opposition to the move, one broached by OC Harold Goodwin, immediately after the 2016 season concluded, Kyle Odegard of AZCardinals.com notes. But the career left tackle is on board now. Humphries played left tackle at Florida and parlayed that performance into a first-round Cardinals draft selection in 2015.
Packers rookie linebacker Vince Biegel broke his foot, and the ensuing surgery leaves him questionable to be ready by the start of training camp, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter and Rob Demovsky report. The intent of this operation, done last week, was to repair a Jones fracture that also plagued him last season at Wisconsin, Demovsky writes. The latest in a slew of mid-round Packers ‘backer picks, hasn’t had a smooth transition into the NFL. A hand injury briefly sidelined him at rookie camp last weekend.
Speaking of positioning, the Saints sound like they might be willing to try Stephone Anthony at middle linebacker again. The Saints moved their underwhelming 2015 first-rounder to the strong side last year, but new linebackers coach Mike Nolan said middle ‘backer suits Anthony best, Herbie Teope of NOLA.com notes. Anthony led the Saints in tackles as a rookie but was moved outside and then benched in 2016. And New Orleans added inside linebackers in Manti Te’o and A.J. Klein this offseason, complicating Anthony’s path back to playing time.
The Seahawks used a sixth-round pick on Cincinnati safety Mike Tyson, but those rooting for the menacingly named defender to double as a hard-hitting back-line option in the Legion of Boom may be disappointed. Tyson was practicing at cornerback during the Seahawks’ rookie minicamp, according to Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. Although, the 6-foot-2 defensive back drew a Byron Maxwell comparison from Pete Carroll, so that’s a good start for a player who might be changing positions.
The Lions‘ second-round Teez Tabor investment came after GM Bob Quinn watched more film on the Florida corner than he has on any prospect during his 15-year evaluation career, Nate Atkins of MLive.com notes. The second-year Detroit GM estimated he watched about 14 Gators games with the primary purpose to see if Tabor played faster than his 4.62-second 40-yard dash clocking.
The Broncos giving Jamaal Charles an opportunity represented a key step for the high-profile free agent running backs. After a complicated offseason for just about every big-name back in search of a new home, the 30-plus contingent of this group found new homes in quick succession.
LeGarrette Blount still needs a new employer, but after the Charles/Adrian Peterson/Marshawn Lynch troika agreed to terms, the 30-year-old’s price range will presumably narrow. With Peterson, Lynch and Charles each being attached to accords worth around $3MM AAV for 2017, with various incentives looming as critical deal points, the 30-year-old Blount may follow suit soon now that the market has essentially been set.
But it’s certainly going to be a change of pace for each of the trio that’s already signed. Each will transition from being his team’s clear-cut No. 1 running back to a cog in backfields that aren’t as certain to be geared around these players.
The Vikings, Seahawks and Chiefs received top-of-the-line production from these three dynamos during the first half of this decade, but the Saints, Raiders and Broncos, respectively, will expect less of them in 2017. How much less is the key question.
Lynch appears to have the clearest road to a steady role, with Oakland prioritizing the 31-year-old recently unretired back instead of diverting resources to a younger ball-carrier in a loaded draft. He’s also going to have a chance to run behind a high-end Raiders offensive front. But Beast Mode has not played a full season since 2014 and will be more than 18 months removed from his last NFL game by the time he suits up in Week 1.
Oakland also has multiple change-of-pace backs in DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard that boasted per-carry averages well north of 5.0 as rookies. Lynch steamrolled his way to four Pro Bowls in Seattle and averaged 4.7 yards per tote in 2014 but struggled a year later to a 3.8-per-handoff average. While the Seahawks’ embattled offensive line can be singled out as a key reason for this production dip for Lynch, Thomas Rawls (5.6 ypc in ’15) looked better by comparison in the pair’s lone season together. The Raiders will deploy a much better array of blockers than did the ’15 Seahawks, but by eschewing younger investments at this young man’s position this offseason, they’re still gambling Lynch can operate at close to his Seahawks form. The Raiders are pleased by Lynch’s condition thus far, at least.
Peterson figures to team with Mark Ingram in New Orleans, but with Ingram being used frequently in the Saints’ passing game the past two seasons, the former Vikings All-Pro’s role will be interesting to observe. Peterson has functioned best as a pure runner since returning from his ACL tear in 2012. While the 32-year-old UFA addition might still be a better ground operator than Ingram when healthy, he struggled behind a porous Vikes offensive line in 2016. Averaging a ghastly 1.9 yards per carry during a season that saw Peterson tear his meniscus, the future Hall of Famer will have to prove he can make another comeback but do so at an age where most running backs are out of the game.
That said, Peterson offered maybe the greatest comeback season for a skill-position player in memory in compiling that 2,097-yard slate five years ago. He then won the 2015 rushing title after the near-season-long 2014 suspension. Drew Brees‘ explosive offense, which ranked No. 1 last season, will help divert defenses from concentrating on stopping Peterson the way Minnesota opponents could for years. Alvin Kamara‘s potential place in this backfield could be a big factor as well, but the Tennessee rookie may carve into the team’s extensive passing-down work instead of exclusively cutting into Peterson’s handoff count.
Charles may bring the highest variance of the acclaimed trio. The Chiefs’ all-time rushing leader will easily be the most accomplished running back on the Broncos’ roster, but he’s obviously missed extensive time the past two years due to knee injuries and is a threat to not make it back at all. Mike Klis of 9News reported Charles was “90 percent” healthy on his signing day. As a result, the NFL’s all-time yards-per-carry king received the smallest financial commitment, at $1MM base value, comparatively. However, at 30 — and with nearly 1,000 fewer career carries (1,332) than Peterson (2,418) and Lynch (2,144) — Charles is the youngest of the three and has a skill set his Bronco mates don’t.
He of a 70-catch season in 2013, the two-time first-team All-Pro has a clear avenue toward the Broncos’ passing-down responsibilities — with the obvious health caveat representing the only barrier. C.J. Anderson is also coming off a severe knee injury. The fifth-year player remains expected to start, but the between-the-tackles grinder hasn’t shown himself to be the type of back Charles has when healthy. The Broncos don’t have an upper-echelon offensive line, but Charles hasn’t been afforded that luxury much in his career and has never finished a season averaging fewer than 5.0 yards per rush. While he surmounted a 2011 ACL tear to re-emerge with dominant 2012 and ’13 campaigns, the veteran now has to do that at an older age and with a more extensive medical history.
There are a lot of moving parts to these stalwarts’ situations, but each certainly has upside. Who do you think will make the biggest impact for his new team this season? Will Charles’ open-field skills make him a bigger weapon than his run-centric peers? Or will Lynch’s comeback tour succeed behind an offensive line featuring three Pro Bowlers? Will Peterson capitalize on Brees and Co.’s setup and prove everyone wrong again? Take PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section about what should be an interesting year for the running back position.
New Orleans hasn’t “really had any discussions for quite some time” about acquiring Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler, according to Saints general manager Mickey Loomis, while head coach Sean Payton notes that the 27-year-old is “with New England, and I don’t think anything has changed. I don’t see anything being imminent as well (linksvia Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com).” Their statements came on the heels of a report suggesting the Pats are unlikely to trade Butler, whom the Saints have chased throughout the offseason. New Orleans courted Butler as a restricted free agent and even agreed to a multiyear contract with him, but the club doesn’t want to meet the Patriots’ asking price for the onetime Pro Bowler.
More from New Orleans:
Running back Mark Ingram posted a career year in 2016, rushing for 1,043 yards with a 5.1 YPC, catching 46 passes and combining for 10 touchdowns. Now, thanks to the Saints’ addition of seven-time Pro Bowler Adrian Peterson, Ingram will have to share a backfield with a higher-profile rusher. Nevertheless, Ingram is glad to have Peterson on the roster. “I’m all about winning, man,” Ingram said (via Teope). “If this will help us win, I’m all about winning. I’m all for it.” Ingram added that he’s “been sharing the ball with one or two, maybe three guys” since New Orleans drafted him in 2011. That has indeed been the case, as the likes of Pierre Thomas, Tim Hightower and Darren Sproles have gotten plenty of carries during the Ingram era. Hightower picked up 133 last year, for instance, but it didn’t stop Ingram from thriving.
Even though Peterson’s a 32-year-old coming off an injury-marred season, signing him carries little risk for the Saints, opines Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Triplett expects Peterson to have a bigger role in New Orleans than Hightower did, but he notes that Payton is excellent at allocating playing time to multiple running backs. In Triplett’s estimation, Payton’s expertise with RBs likely added to the Saints’ allure for Peterson.
Loomis indicated Wednesday that he’s unsure if the Saints’ contract talks with wide receiver Willie Snead will lead to a deal, though he seems optimistic. “He’s here working and I don’t anticipate issues with Willie going forward,” Loomis said (via Herbie Teope of NOLA.com). “I’m excited that he’s here. Look, he’s been a good player, a good contributor to our team and expect him to be our team for a long time.” While Snead could be on the Saints’ books at a relatively meager $615K this year in the absence of a new pact, he still hasn’t signed his exclusive rights free agent tender. Regardless, he’s not eligible for unrestricted free agency until after the 2018 season.
It’s a done deal. The Saints have signed Adrian Peterson, according to a team announcement. It’s a two-year deal with a base value of $7MM, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (viatheseTwitterlinks). Peterson gets $3.5MM guaranteed at signing for 2017 and a totally non-guaranteed $3.5MM for 2018. If he plays out the contract and reaches all of his incentives, the total value could get as high as $15.25MM.
“I am excited to be joining the New Orleans Saints. I’m really looking forward to this opportunity,” Peterson said in a statement to Anderson (Twitter link). “Most importantly, I chose this team because it just felt right within my spirit. Additionally, my wife and family added their confirmation with the same feelings. On offense, it goes without saying that the Saints are really solid behind Drew Brees. I feel like my skill set can make them even more dominant as a unit. They have a great offensive line, which is something that stood out to me as well. I could tell from talking to head coach Sean Payton over the last two weeks that he did his due diligence in evaluating how I could contribute. I also did a lot of homework on the defense as well. While I know that injuries have played a role in performance, I also see areas of potential with a lot of younger guys having the ability to step up. Lastly, it goes without saying that the Saints have an amazing fan base and I look forward to making them proud and creating everlasting memories.”
The expectation now is that Peterson will serve as the main complement to top running back Mark Ingram. The 32-year-old missed the majority of the 2016 season, but he was highly productive in 2015 and he has been able to come back from devastating injuries in the past. After signing Peterson, the Saints can use their impressive stockpile of draft picks in the first three rounds to address other holes (primarily on defense) while leaving the running back position alone.
After the Vikings declined Peterson’s option, he was linked to a whole host of contenders. However, it turned out that teams like the Seahawks, Patriots, Packers, and Giants only had tepid interest in him. Peterson has every reason to play with a chip on his shoulder this season and he should be extra motivated for New Orleans’ season opener against the Vikings.
The Saints and Adrian Peterson are believed to be closing in on a deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The pact would pay him $3.25MM in the coming year with the potential to earn about $1MM through incentives (Twitter link). It’s not a done deal, Rapoport cautions, but things are moving in that direction.
Earlier today, it was reported that the Saints were still considering Peterson. Apparently, things have heated up to the point where a deal is in sight. Peterson was reportedly willing to play for $5MM or less in the “right situation” and that asking price may have been worked down over time. Given his age and injury history, Peterson was not left with a lot of leverage at this stage of the offseason. If Peterson remained on the market past the draft, his pool of suitors would have shrank significantly.
Peterson, 32, appeared in only three games last season, compiling 72 yards on 37 carries. However, Peterson was excellent in 2015, when he led the NFL in both rushing attempts (327) and yards (1,485).
At present, New Orleans has four running backs on it roster: Mark Ingram, Travaris Cadet, Daniel Lasco, and Marcus Murphy. If signed, Peterson would slot behind Ingram but presumably still get a decent number of carries.
The Saints are still very much involved with Adrian Peterson, according to Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune (on Twitter). The two sides still talking about a short-term deal to bring him to New Orleans.
Peterson is reportedly willing to play for $5MM or less in the “right situation” and the Saints could be one of the clubs that fits the bill for him. Although they’re coming off of a down year, the Saints have the pieces in place to contend as well as a winning culture. They have significant holes to fill on defense, but they would be in solid shape offensively with the addition of Peterson.
Peterson met with the Saints earlier in April and reportedly looked explosive during a workout session with the Patriots. The Giants, meanwhile, are still monitoring No. 28. We know that there’s at least a couple of teams with interest in Peterson, but it’s not clear if any club is willing to commit to him in advance of this week’s draft. With younger and cheaper talent readily available, Peterson will likely have to wait until at least May to find his next NFL home.
If Peterson does sign with the Saints, his first regular season game will come against the Vikings in Week 1.
The Giants are among the clubs keeping an eye on free agent running backs Adrian Peterson and LeGarrette Blount, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Specifically, New York is waiting to see if either Peterson or Blount’s contract demands decrease before the draft.
Peterson has been linked to the Giants before, as head coach Ben McAdoo said “never say never” in response to a possible Peterson inquiry (previous reports had indicated Peterson was not a fit for Big Blue). Having visited the Seahawks, Patriots, and Saints, Peterson is still without a contract and is thought to be waiting until after the draft to find a new team. The 32-year-old reportedly looked “explosive” during a workout in New England, and may be willing to accept $5MM or less to play in the “right situation.”
Blount, meanwhile, hasn’t generated anything close to the market that has Peterson, as the only team that’s even remotely shown interest in Blount is Seattle. Although he reportedly had an offer on the table to return to New England, the Patriots’ dalliance with Bills restricted free agent back Mike Gillislee may change the status of that proposal. If Buffalo doesn’t match New England’s offer sheet to Gillislee and he heads to the Patriots, Blount likely will have lost his chance to re-sign with the defending Super Bowl champions.
Which club would represent that ideal situation is presently unclear, as King reports there’s no “leader in the clubhouse” for Peterson at the moment. The Saints, per King, stand out as a good fit given New Orleans’ closeness to Peterson’s home in Houston. Peterson met with the Saints earlier this month, and he’d give the team another option in a backfield that currently includes Mark Ingram, Travaris Cadet, and others.
The 32-year-old Peterson isn’t expected to sign a new deal until after the draft, but his openness to inking a deal at a reduced rate could open up his market. Previously, Peterson took to Twitter to reject claims he was seeking in excess of $8MM annually.
