The New York Giants aren’t going to pass on an opportunity to explore the possibility of signing future Hall of Fame running back Adrian Peterson. Coach Ben McAdoo said they will “take a look” at the available running back.
Peterson was informed Monday that his 2017 option would not be picked up by the Minnesota Vikings. He will become a free agent on March 9, and had previously mentioned the Giants as one of the teams that would intrigue him as a possible landing spot.
Despite his age, recent injuries and past troubles, McAdoo did not rule out the possibility it could happen. Instead, he grouped Peterson in with all the available free agents.
“We’ll go take a look at him,” McAdoo told reporters at the NFL combine. “We’ll evaluate him, get a grade on anyone that is available and we’ll make those decisions in terms of what is best for the Giants moving forward.”
It seems unlikely that Peterson would land with the Giants considering his expected price and fit in the offense. Nearly 95 percent of his career carries have come with the quarterback under center, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Giants ran 72 percent of their offensive plays out of the shotgun last season.
Peterson, 31, will gauge his market over the next week, placing an emphasis on a team he believes is a serious contender for a Super Bowl. The door still appears to remain open for a possible return to Minnesota.
The Giants could use a veteran running back after releasing starter Rashad Jennings last month. They have Shane Vereen and Paul Perkins as the only two running backs with experience currently on the roster.
Vereen is coming off an injury-filled year where he tore his triceps muscle twice and Perkins flashed some potential as a rookie. Perkins, a fifth-round pick in the 2016 NFL draft, is expected to play a bigger role this year. He averaged 4.1 yards per carry this past season.
With a draft believed to be one of the deepest in years at running back, the Giants still don’t appear pressured to add a veteran running back, especially one with Peterson’s resume.
“If it fits, if it’s clean,” McAdoo said. “Paul is a guy that we have confidence in. He missed all offseason last year because of the rules that are in place with rookies. He came into training camp and really had to catch up in a hurry. He had some success with special teams early, and ended up being a nice ball-carrier for us. He grew in [pass] protection as well.”
The Giants’ running game struggled badly last season. They were the NFL’s 29th-ranked rushing offense at 88.3 yards per game.
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