Adrian Peterson has already stated that he would not be opposed to play in New York. Of the three teams he stated he would like to play for (New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans), two of them have invested $7 million in running backs of their own (Doug Martin and Lamar Miller). Financially, it would make zero sense for these two teams to sign him. However, the New York Giants may be the landing spot for the prized running back. Here are some reasons why:
Adrian Peterson: The Next Star of New York
He Wants to Play for the Giants
Last month, he openly talked about three potential landing spots for next season. One of those places was New York. Just yesterday, he sent out a tweet saying:
The Giants been making some interesting moves.
— Adrian Peterson (@AdrianPeterson) February 16, 2017
The timing of this tweet and him potentially becoming a free agent are too close to be considered coincidental. It is clear that he would like to play for the Giants. His salary next season is astronomical, and he is more than likely to be cut from the Vikings. At the tail end of his career, Peterson is going to want to win a Super Bowl, something he could achieve with the Giants.
Tank = Not Empty
Peterson is heading towards the tail end of his career, but that does not mean he isn’t useful. Last season should not be looked at when deciding his value. He played behind a terrible offensive line and that did not do him justice. In his last full season, he amassed 1,485 yards on 327 carries with 11 touchdowns. These are Pro Bowl numbers. Now, it is not likely he will replicate this coming off a major knee injury. However, it is more than likely he breaks 1,000 yards and is an instant impact wherever he plays. He came back last season and in his first game since the gruesome injury, he had six carries for 22 yards. These are not dynamic numbers, but it shows how he was able to come back and still contribute.
Match Made in Heaven
The Giants need an impact running back that can change the game, sorry Paul Perkins. They also need a playmaker to take the attention off of quarterback Eli Manning. Adrian Peterson also wants to win a Super Bowl, something that has eluded the future Hall of Fame running back for his entire career. With the addition of a player like Peterson, the Giants offense could improve exponentially. The offense is the weak link of this Giants football team. Although the offensive line needs some work, teams would need to prepare for Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard, and Peterson. This would be no easy task and could even help the offensive line because teams would not be able to stack the box. Having a running game would open up many doors for this Giants team.
The Giants would need to do some salary cap magic to make this move work. Peterson would most likely cost the Giants five to seven million dollars per year. Signing Peterson would most likely mean that running back Shane Vereen would not don a blue jersey next season. He is owed close to $5 million and that money would need to be invested into Peterson. It would also not make sense to invest close to $12 million into the running back position. The Giants are in win now mode. If they plan on having a shot at lifting the Lombardi Trophy next season, Adrian Peterson may be their key in doing so.
