Dallas Cowboys: Why adding Adrian Peterson makes sense
One NFL Insider believes if All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson leaves Minnesota, that the Dallas Cowboys make sense as a possible landing spot.
The Dallas Cowboys currently possess the best running back in the NFL in their offensive backfield. The Cowboys used the fourth overall selection in last year’s NFL Draft to secure him. That player of course being former Ohio State Buckeye Ezekiel Elliott.
The Pro Bowl rookie runner led the league in both rushing yardage (1,631) and carries (322) last season. Elliott’s initial success is due in large part to the talented offensive line that blocks for him. Made up of three perennial Pro Bowlers itself, the Cowboys O-line is also viewed by many as the best in the NFL.
So, when it comes to being an attractive destination for both free agent and rookie running backs, Dallas is the equivalent of Disneyland for a six-year old. Who wouldn’t want to run behind this dominate offensive line?
The answer may be Minnesota Vikings Adrian Peterson. Still recovering from a knee injury that robbed the soon-to-be 32-year old running back from playing 13 games last season, Peterson is due a whopping $11.75 million for this year, plus a $6 million roster bonus due to be paid on March 11th. And it appears the Vikings are not willing to fork out that amount of money for a player who has missed a total of 28 games in the last three years due to injury.
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Unless some kind of deal can be struck, Peterson could be released by the Vikings. If the former 2007 first round selection out of Oklahoma hits the open market, some have speculated Dallas as a possible landing spot. But is Peterson really ready to be a back-up running back for the Cowboys while Elliott takes the spotlight as the cemented starter?
One NFL Insider believes the move certainly makes sense for the Cowboys.
"“Some people have said that Peterson to the Cowboys doesn’t make any sense, but actually, it does,” ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter told 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia according to Nj.com. “First of all, you’ve got the investigation of Ezekiel Elliott going on and you don’t know if the NFL is going to discipline him for any amount of time. Even if Elliott isn’t facing any kind of discipline they could bring in Adrian Peterson to take away 100 carries from Ezekiel Elliott and preserve him over time. Wouldn’t that be a wise move? Plus, how many Adrian Peterson jerseys would Jerry Jones sell with Peterson being from Texas?”"
Currently, both running backs Darren McFadden and Lance Dunbar are free agents. That leaves only Alfred Morris behind Elliott on the depth chart. So, there is certainly a need for another back in Dallas. And who better than Peterson to mentor and young Zeke? But at what cost?
According to CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, there may not be much of a market for Peterson’s services if he’s released by the Vikings. In fact, according to some unnamed NFL general managers that La Canfora reportedly spoke with, they were unsure if they’d even offer the veteran running back a one-year, $5 million deal with incentives.
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This is a future Hall of Famer, a seven-time Pro Bowler, a five-time first team All-Pro member, a three-time NFL rushing leader and a former NFL MVP winner we are talking about here. Even though Peterson turns 32-years old next month, it seems unlikely he would accept being a back-up anywhere.
But considering the Dallas Cowboys could be competing for a Super Bowl soon, their talented offensive line and the fact Peterson is a native of Palestine, Texas; maybe it’s not such a wild idea after all.