The Detroit Lions got an unexpected jump on the post-cut day transaction frenzy by signing running back Adrian Peterson.
Yeah, that Adrian Peterson. AD. The fifth-leading rusher in NFL history. The four-time All-Pro, seven-time Pro Bowler who tormented the Lions for so many years while a member of the Minnesota Vikings.
It’s a stunning shot of espresso to my black coffee on a holiday weekend morning. That seems to be the reaction from most Lions fans, and I share in it, too.
“Holy (insert expletive of your choosing) I didn’t see that coming!”
While my Lions Wire colleague Erik Schlitt did offer the possibility — Peterson was the first name on his list of players who should interest the Lions — I admittedly didn’t think it would happen. This is a Lions team that cut fifth-round rookie RB Jason Huntley because there was no room in the backfield for him, after all.
Peterson has still got some ability, even at 35. He trudged for 898 yards in shared duty with the Football Team last season. His physical, downhill, high-kneed power running is the same, though the initial burst and long speed have fallen off.
He will not be the starter or the workhorse in Detroit. I consider him an insurance policy for oft-injured Kerryon Johnson and currently injured D’Andre Swift, the clear top 1-2 punch. Peterson is a very different type of back from current No. 3 Ty Johnson.
In the immediate short-term, I expect Peterson to take over the Bo Scarbrough role of power back. Scarbrough, as is often the case with him, is currently injured. He could play quite a bit in the first couple of weeks while Swift eases back from his injury. What Peterson does transcends offensive scheme, so there’s no worry about acclimation to Darrell Bevell’s offense.
The larger question is, how will he perform?
The Peterson we saw in person last year in Washington was not impressive. He managed just 27 yards on 10 carries against last year’s Lions defense, missed a pass protection pickup and got chained to the bench in the second half in favor of Derrius Guice.
Yet he also had some great performances. One week later he dashed through Carolina for 99 yards on just 13 carries. He scored a touchdown, something he’s done more than Barry Sanders in his career, four straight weeks.
Peterson topped 20 carries just once and averaged about 15 touches per game on the year. My snap reaction is he’ll have weeks where he gets 15-18 touches for the Lions and others where he gets four. We’re not kidding when we tell you it’s a running back committee in Detroit…
I do have some trepidation that this is another LeGarrette Blount signing. Fans loved the name but quickly learned to loathe the results, an NFL-worst yards-per-carry average and a decided disinterest in caring about it. I worry this is another Dwight Freeney situation, too.
Freeney was a surefire Hall-of-Famer signed at the end of his career with some fanfare. In 125 snaps for Detroit in 2017, Freeney failed to record a single statistic. No sacks, no tackles, not even a single QB pressure.
I don’t believe Peterson is washed up like that. I do think it’s best to temper expectations. He’s not worth drafting in fantasy football. But he can still create a little magic with his blessed running ability.