Adrian Peterson briefly had the tri-state area abuzz a month ago when he said on ESPN he had “thought about” joining the Giants if/when the Vikings release him this offseason.
It looks like he has kept pondering the subject. The future Hall of Fame running back, who is fast approaching a contractual fork-in-the-road with the Vikings, threw some gasoline on the Big Blue fire on Wednesday night with this curious tweet:
The Giants been making some interesting moves.
— Adrian Peterson (@AdrianPeterson) February 16, 2017
The interesting moves they have made: Releasing wide receiver Victor Cruz and running back Rashad Jennings. Those cuts freed up $10 million in cap space, presumably to fortify the war chest before the Giants make their run at re-signing defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. There would still be some cash left over, though, and Jennings’ departure does leave a need for a running back.
Perhaps a veteran who is looking to complement an emerging, younger back in the twilight of his career for a Super Bowl contender?
Peterson is scheduled to make $11.75 million in base salary next season, the final year of a three-year deal, plus a $6 million roster bonus due on the third day of the new league year in March. Indications are the Vikings don’t plan to retain him at that rate. Peterson led the NFL in rushing in 2015, but he will be 32 in March and he missed 13 games total in 2016 due to knee issues, including a torn meniscus that required surgery.
The Vikings could reach an agreement with Peterson to rework his deal, allowing him to play out his final year in Minnesota. If Peterson is cut and hits the market, the Giants should obviously give him a look. He’s an all-time great, he may have something left and he would be about as qualified a back to pair with Paul Perkins as they are going to find.
Peterson-to-the-Giants would not a no-doubt, must-make move for general manager Jerry Reese though.
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Peterson may not be the best back for head coach Ben McAdoo’s offense, as he has struggled running out of the shotgun in his career. Peterson has averaged over a full yard less per carry out of the gun as opposed to plays run from under center.
McAdoo runs a scheme that is relatively heavy on the shotgun formation. The Giants ran just under 50 percent of their pass attempts from the gun in 2016, and 33.5 percent of their rush attempts came out of the formation. Getting Peterson snaps out of a single-back set would not be a major issue – the Giants operate out of that formation plenty – but the shotgun concern could factor into a decision.
Peterson’s 2014 domestic violence suspension after being indicted on child abuse charges could be a deal-breaker as well, given the Giants’ mishandling of the Josh Brown scandal last season.
Even if Peterson is available and the Giants have interest, they won’t be alone. Peterson is expected to have several suitors if he becomes a free agent. He acknowledged some of those other teams during his January appearance on First Take, mentioning the Buccaneers and Texans.
The Giants are the only team to come out of his mouth twice, though. That means … something. Exactly what, is anyone’s guess.
TALK IS CHEAP: The JPP decision looms; what should Giants do? Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Soundcloud or iHeartRadio. James Kratch may be reached at jkratch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.
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