Adrian Peterson Reportedly Meeting with the Saints
Joe Johnson
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Earlier this week, after analyzing Adrian Peterson’s dwindling options outside of the state of Minnesota, I decided to write an article pointing out that I believe(d) that Peterson could end up back in Minnesota before the start of the 2017 season (With that option becoming an increasing possibility as the days went by). After meeting with the New England Patriots Monday, for what had been reported yesterday as a full workout (After it was said to be just a meeting earlier in the week), I figured that the market for his style of running back had been mostly identified (From Seattle, to Oakland, The Giants, Patriots, Vikings and even Packers) and that’s really where I figured that Peterson’s price would lower to the point that the Vikings could justify bringing him back as the “thumper” in a back-field that recently added former Oakland Raider Latavius Murray.
However, another team has apparently shown interest in Peterson and a meeting is set for next week. A team that has been identified in the title of this piece but that would be such a horrifying option that I shutter to even say it’s name again. While Green Bay would be a nightmare, this would be more of a waking simultaneous kick to the face and groin, especially considering Peterson’s role in the 2009 NFC Championship game. That team, is the New Orleans Saints. The Saints!
So, let me get this straight. In the same week that Peterson met with his best chance for a future Super Bowl in the Patriots, he’s meeting with the team that robbed him of his best chance of a ring in the past? Granted, the reports are that Peterson is meeting with Sean Payton and company next week, but I liked how it sounded so I won’t change it. Cut me some slack, it’s six in the morning and I’m writing about Peterson, a Vikings legend (Regardless of where you stand on him as a player, or person) going to the freaking Saints, a team that had to cheat and also rely on a level of bad luck that only the Vikings could produce (With some good old fashioned white guilt mixed in) to win it’s only championship. Sure, the NFL is a business and Peterson has every right to go to whichever team will pay the most for his services, but there are limits to that also. Especially considering that Sean Payton is still the coach.
However, as the saying goes… Beggars can’t be choosers and at this point, Peterson may be a tad bit desperate. The market for his services clearly wasn’t what he thought it was, despite his angry comments to the contrary (Mostly about how much money he was asking for). But, again, this would be extremely hard for Vikings fans to swallow and so at this point I’m just hoping that the Vikings preemptively resign him before he has a chance to visit New Orleans next week. All joking aside, no one wants that. But, really, at this point it’s looking like Peterson will have to wait until after the draft to find a team, as the running back class is about as deep as it’s been in the past few years (Or the deepest EVAR, if you ask Vikings general manager Rick Spielman). So, while I still think there’s a decent chance that Peterson will end up back in Purple and Gold, I believe that it’s something that will happen sometime in May. Some people believe it’ll take longer, as they think that Peterson is pulling a Favre in attempts to avoid playing in the pre-season or attending camp. But, he’s mostly avoided playing in the pre-season the past five seasons, so that doesn’t make any sense.
The point is that the Vikings still do need a running back that plays like Peterson to round out it’s running back-by-committee, committee. Whether or not they find that person in the draft, or in Peterson, remains to be seen but the very idea of Peterson playing in black and gold makes me want to roll over in my grave. That’s right, I’m writing this from the great beyond… It was a mash. A Monster Mash. Sigh, it’s official, this Saints news broke my brain and reminded me of a story I read last night that said that some countries banned “Monster Mash” from the radio as it was too “Morbid” and “scary”. Hahaha, what?!? Considering how morbid and scary this news is, I thought that it was apt and worth your time as readers of the site that you now used to go to.
So, let us know how bad you think this move would be on a scale from “Very” to “Completely”, either below or in our brand, spanking new Message Board! As you clearly know how I feel… About Monster Mash. Just morbid filth, that is.