Not only did Adrian Peterson tear his meniscus, but he did it in a contract year with the Minnesota Vikings. Here are five teams he could sign with in 2017.
Minnesota Vikings superstar running back Adrian tore the meniscus in his right knee in Sunday Night Football in Week 2. Peterson will have surgery on Thursday and will be out until at least December for the Vikings.
This is a devastating loss for the Vikings, who are seeing their Super Bowl LI hopes slip through their fingers with one injury after another. Having Peterson out for most of 2016 might mean that the Vikings’ Super Bowl-caliber roster doesn’t even qualify for the NFC Playoffs.
To further complicate things with Peterson and his injury, he’ll be 32 years old next season and the Vikings have a team option on him entering the 2017 NFL season. If Peterson decides to play beyond 2016, here are five teams the future Hall of Fame running back could play for in 2017.
Sep 18, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) pretends to take a picture after a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Bank of America Stadium. The Panthers defeated the 49ers 46-27. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
5. Carolina Panthers
Let’s be real. If Peterson does decide to play in 2017, it will only be for NFL teams that have realistic Super Bowl aspirations. He’ll probably want to go to a team that either has elite defensive personnel or a high-octane offense. No middle-of-the-pack team has any shot at landing his services in 2017.
One team that could be an interesting fit for Peterson is the Carolina Panthers. Carolina has a great defense led by linebackers Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis. Offensively, the Panthers lean on quarterback Cam Newton, tight end Greg Olsen and wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin.
The Panthers prefer to be a ground and pound offensive team, but have not had great stability at the running back position the last few seasons. Starting running back Jonathan Stewart is almost always hurt. Mike Tolbert is a great fullback, but nothing more at this stage of his career. Fozzy Whittaker is not a bell-cow back by any stretch of the imagination.
If Peterson wants to have one last shot at playing for a Super Bowl, the Panthers are a team he should consider. He wouldn’t have to be even the third best player on the Carolina offense to reach Super Bowl LII. If he’s willing to take less money and assume a complimentary role to Newton in Charlotte, this would be a good opportunity for Peterson to ride off into the sunset hoisting the Lombardi Trophy with the Panthers.
Sep 18, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) looks to pass against the Los Angeles Rams during a NFL game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
4. Seattle Seahawks
If Peterson isn’t going back to the Vikings, the best team for him to go to in the NFC is easily the Seattle Seahawks. These are two similarly constructed franchises with elite defenses and complimentary offensive personnel.
Like with Carolina, Peterson wouldn’t have to be the face of the franchise in Seattle. He’ll play with a better quarterback in Russell Wilson than he has had at any stretch with the Vikings. Peterson can still be effective if he splits carries with Thomas Rawls and Christine Michael in a triple-headed rushing attack with the 2017 Seahawks.
However, there is one massive problem with the Seahawks: they have the worst offensive line in football. It’s worse than the unit that gives Peterson merely inches to work with in Minnesota. Seahawks general manager John Schneider is fantastic at what he does, but has assembled hot garbage in front of Wilson this season.
One thing that Seattle has going for it over Minnesota is that the Seahawks culture galvanizes its players, while the Vikings seem to be stuck in a snake-bitten quagmire for the last couple of decades. Seattle has shown that it can deliver in the postseason better than Minnesota. Maybe Peterson goes to the Pacific Northwest for one last shot at a Lombardi Trophy.
Sep 18, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick on the side line during the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. The New England Patriots won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
3. New England Patriots
Though head coach Bill Belichick is notorious for letting players on the decline leave Foxboro a year early rather than a year too late, the New England Patriots just might be brilliant enough to take a flyer on a player like Peterson.
New England thinks four steps ahead of everybody else. The Patriots have the best NFL scouting department in the league and it’s not even debatable. New England continues to bring in undervalued players and turn them into stars.
Peterson is a fading star, but could have value late in 2017 when New England begins its post-Thanksgiving AFC Playoffs run. A dominant running game in cold weather has helped New England be a staple in the AFC Championship Game the last five seasons.
This franchise did sign another 30+ year-old running back last winter in Steven Jackson to help give balance to a bubble screen-reliant Patriots offense. One could argue that the running game becomes even more important in 2017 for New England. Tom Brady will be 40 and Jimmy Garoppolo will be in the final year of this rookie deal.
Peterson to the Patriots just feels like a move New England would be willing to make just to make the rest of the NFL look foolish. Joining New England ensures that Peterson would make the final four in 2017.
Sep 18, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) motions to teammates against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half at Heinz Field. The Steelers won the game 24-16. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
Folks in Western Pennsylvania are going to hate this, but the Pittsburgh Steelers have maybe two or three more years to win a Super Bowl with Ben Roethlisberger as the team’s star quarterback. Roethlisberger’s 2016 Steelers team can win it all, but Pittsburgh needs to be all-in before this championship window closes.
There is no question the Steelers can move the chains aerially with arguably the best passing attack in football. It’s easy to see why with the No. 1 wideout in the game in Antonio Brown and a top 10 quarterback all-time in Roethlisberger.
However, to win in December and January, it’s all about having a reliable running game. Pittsburgh has an elite talent at tailback in Le’Veon Bell, but he can’t stop getting himself suspended for smoking marijuana. The Steelers are fortunate to have a solid backup running back in DeAngelo Williams, but he’s already 33!
Should Pittsburgh fail to win Super Bowl LI in Houston, the Steelers have maybe two more seasons to hoist the city’s seventh Lombardi Trophy before the Roethlisberger era is over. By bringing in Peterson on a team-friendly deal, he would replace Williams and maybe even inspire Bell to get his stuff together.
Sep 18, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) smiles prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
1. Minnesota Vikings
If Peterson feels the need to win a Lombardi Trophy before retiring from the NFL, why would he not want to do it for the only team he’s ever played for? Minnesota has never won a Super Bowl. It would mean everything for the Twin Cities to see its star running back lead the Vikings to that elusive championship.
Peterson is having surgery before Week 3 to hopefully speed up the recovery process so he can be ready for a 2016 NFC Playoffs run. He is a one-of-a-kind physical specimen, but age has to be a factor in his recovery time. Peterson isn’t a kid any more and his best days of football are clearly behind him.
The ball really is in Vikings general manager Rick Spielman’s court. He has the power to extend Peterson the option in his contract for 2017. If Peterson’s rehab goes over smoothly these next few months, there is a good chance he can play for the Vikings in 2017.
Peterson is one of those players that football fans would hate to see wear another uniform. He’s been with the Vikings since being drafted by Minnesota in the 2007 NFL Draft. Peterson has put together one of the best careers of a running back in NFL history. He should be able to go out on his terms.
Minnesota is just entering its multi-year window to contend for Super Bowls. Perhaps Peterson’s veteran presence is enough to get the Vikings over the top either this year or next. If he plays for anybody next season, it should be the Vikings.
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