Should the Giants sign Adrian Peterson if he becomes available?
Adrian Peterson has been flirting with the New York Giants throughout the offseason.
His somewhat cryptic tweet last week only adds to the intrigue.
The Giants been making some interesting moves.
— Adrian Peterson (@AdrianPeterson) February 16, 2017
Peterson is still under contract with the Minnesota Vikings, the team that drafted him seventh overall a decade ago. He is coming off a season where surgery to repair a torn meniscus limited him to just three games.
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Minnesota is reluctant to pay Peterson, who turns 32 on Mar. 21, the $18 million he is due in 2017. If Peterson is unable to reach a compromise with the Vikings, he will be looking for a new NFL home. Peterson named the Giants as a team he would want to play for in a January appearance on ESPN’s “First Take”.
He would be a welcome addition to a Giants backfield which has Paul Perkins and Shane Vereen after the release of Rashad Jennings. All Day is second among active players in rushing yards with 11,747 and became the seventh back to rush for 2,000 yards in a season in 2012.
Unfortunately, 32 is downright ancient for a running back. He managed only 72 yards on 37 carries in 2016. Although he has returned to form from injuries before, Father Time is undefeated. Is it too much to expect that a 32-year-old running back, even one of Peterson’s Hall of Fame pedigree, to return to his MVP caliber form?
There is also the public relations component of potentially signing Peterson. He was suspended for violation of the personal conduct policy when child-abuse allegations surfaced in the 2014 season. The Giants faced backlash when they re-signed former kicker Josh Brown knowing he was charged with domestic violence. Should they choose to sign Peterson, the scrutiny would be higher as Peterson is a future Hall of Fame player.
Of course, this is all speculation. Peterson and the Vikings may come to an agreement to keep him in Minnesota. The upcoming draft is one of the deepest for running backs in years and a complimentary back to place alongside Perkins may be found there.
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