Adrian Peterson to Saints doesn’t make much sense, for Peterson

Posted by Mike Florio on April 24, 2017, 4:31 PM EDT
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It’s obvious why the Saints would want Adrian Peterson. It’s not obvious why Adrian Peterson would want the Saints. Unless, of course, no one else wants Peterson.

But even if no other team currently is offering Peterson $3 million or so per year, his likely role (Mark Ingram reportedly would still be the lead back) and the perceived ability of the team to help Peterson finish his career with a Super Bowl win (the Saints have three straight 7-9 seasons in a division that produced the last two NFC champions) suggests that Peterson’s better move would be to watch and to wait. Injuries are inevitable, especially at the tailback position. If a short-list contender loses its starting running back for an extended stretch (like the Vikings did last year in Week Two when Peterson tore a meniscus), Peterson instantly has leverage along with an opportunity to become a key contributor for a team that could be playing in February.

But it’s possible that the Saints have put the hard sell on Peterson, with coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees persuading Peterson that the Saints may be ready to party like it’s 2009, the season that saw New Orleans take down Peterson and the Vikings en route to a Super Bowl victory.

Regardless, the decision seems a little hasty from Peterson’s perspective. While that could be end up being very good for the Saints, it could end up being a mistake for the player.

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27 responses to “Adrian Peterson to Saints doesn’t make much sense, for Peterson”

  2. Hmm … who do the Saints open up against?

    Why – it’s the Vikings!

    Beautiful!!

  3. Nothing about AP tells me he’s a great planner or person able to foresee future events and make decisions on the long view.

    All he’s seeing is 3 million and if he’s on the roster week 1 – that’s guaranteed.

  4. Peterson to Houston makes sense. Basically hometown . Texans run the ball a ton. He could get starter carries being a backup to Lamar Miller

  5. This move makes lots of sense when you take a step back. Mike Bell was the Saints leading rusher in 09. Deuce McAllister, on the downside of his career, led 1the team in rushing in 06. The bruiser style back has always been the real backbone of their offense. Ingram was supposed to be that guy when he was drafted, but turned out to be more of a Pierre Thomas-type all-purpose back. He even lost his starting job to Tim Hightower at one point last season.

  6. The Saints should hope he waits and finds someone else. He’s had two major injuries and he’s on the wrong side of 30. Stay away, which means Sean Payton will have him signed by midnight.

  9. It makes a lot of sense. The Saints use their second tailback a lot. Tim Hightower had 748 yards from scrimmage and 5 touchdowns last year. His time at Saints saved his career. He’s gone, but AP can fill that role and more – the Saints just don’t use Ingram as the dominant back.

    So AP gets a meaningful role with reduced wear and tear in a dynamic offense with a Hall of Fame quarterback. Plus, AP’s home is now in Houston – which is a short 40 minute plane flight from New Orleans.

    It makes all kinds of sense for AP.

  10. This doesn’t make much sense for the Saints or Peterson. Payton doesn’t like to run the ball much and Peterson isn’t exactly the best pass catching option out of the backfield.

    Expect Loomis and Payton to jump all over this. They brought a Superbowl, but seem clueless since.

  12. I kinda wanted the patriots to grab AP but i am happy with Gillislee

    But AP to saints is just weird. Only thing but i doubt happens is ingram and a pick to seahawks for sherman since no movement with butler

  13. Admittedly, AP scores considerably higher on the lack of perspective ego test than he does on any intelligence test.

  14. A one year deal makes sense to me. If he waits until after the draft, he would probably get less money than he gets by signing now. Also, he goes to a team where he isn’t the “starter,” but they use RBs pretty interchangeably, so he gets a chance to prove to the league that he still has “it.” Finally, if he sits out and waits on an injury, he might wait a quarter of a season. For a guy chasing a few different rushing records, those games are important at age 32.

    It’s a great deal for the Saints, because there is a chance that Peterson breaks out and has a monster season. If not, they don’t lose much.

  15. The Saints 2017 draft should be restricted to the defensive side of the ball. No offensive players listed on their draft board. Just go all defense.

  17. If I’ve talked to several potential employers, and there is zero interest now except from the Saints and uncertain interest in the future, it makes complete sense to make a deal with the only employer interested.

  19. Payton & the Saints appear to be operating in a similar way to to Jon Gruden & the Bucs, sign older players in the hope they can keep them in the playoffs and win playoff games. I’m sure if asked, Gruden would say what a colossal failure that was.
    I’d be pretty upset as a Saints fan, seeing how they keep trying to collect W’s without building through the draft. They draft well, they wouldn’t need an over the hill player like AP. That said they’ll still get their usual 7 to 9 wins this season, I’m sure.

  20. New Orleans can servive with what they have offensively. They can put up an easy 21 to 35 points against a lot of teams. They need to work on that secondary so no one can score as fast and keep up.

  21. It (AP -> NO) certainly makes more “sense” than All-Day continuing to toil on a Vikings’ offense that’s continually been challenged to produce points ever since NFCC10 where Favre got over-undered and the big back forced into fumblitis by the Bountygaters. Drew Brees who, like Tom Brady, looks to have some kind of a Dorian Gray thing going (See; O.Wilde), had a solid backfield last year with Ingram & Hightower (SF) and, apart from DET loss, finished competitively (3-3). A healthy AP could return ’em to that state and maybe more.

    Big Question: Not ‘gas in the tank’ but will the tires hold out (knees)? Though imbued with great determination, Peterson has missed most of two of the last three seasons and turned 32 in March. Can he pull off another (’14) comeback in New Orleans, a 2d miracle which won’t qualify him for Sainthood by Vatican standards but would go along way in getting some of his detractors off his back and the NFL Saints back to contenderland.

    Contract aside, for the New Orleans community of fans & franchise it’s the high expectations which will now be riding on former MVP Adrian that’re of greatest concern and upon which the team’s 2017-18 morale will rest heavily.

  22. Am I missing something? When did Peterson start playing defense? Sure he replaces a missing piece of their offense, but unless they start scoring 50 a game, they are heading for 7-9 yet again.

  23. Just seen on Mike and Mike that the Saints picked up AP for two years 7 mil. Not much to say, but congratulations Saints you just picked up Emmitt Smith! Not the Cowboy version, a broken 32 year old Arizona Cardinals version.

  25. As most teams know, Peterson isn’t the best receiver, out of the backfield. Additionally, he is not the best at blocking.
    That said, I would believe that teams will think run…all the way when he comes into the game(s) & will load the box.
    That is how teams held him down in the past. I don’t think much will have changed in the mean time.

  26. I realize I’m not as smart as all of you geniuses, but just maybe Sean Payton is taking a cue from the Patriots, and going to use Peterson like the Patriots did Blount?

  27. It’s a great move for Peterson. He’ll no longer have to carry the entire offense on his back like he has the past decade in Minnesota. At 32 that’s a big deal and will allow him to play longer in the NFL. With that offense the Saints just need to make their defense average and they will be a Superbowl contender in the very near future.

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