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For Redskins, Adrian Peterson doesn’t provide much of an upgrade

By Jacob Camenker

SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 05: Adrian Peterson #23 of the Arizona Cardinals looks on during their NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on November 5, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 05: Adrian Peterson #23 of the Arizona Cardinals looks on during their NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on November 5, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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Adrian Peterson signed with the Washington Redskins on Monday. While there’s no real downside to adding Peterson, don’t expect him to be much of an upgrade or immediately become a starter for the squad.

The Redskins have been plagued by injuries at the running back position this preseason. First, stud second-round pick Derrius Guice went down with a torn ACL in the first preseason week. In Week 2, Byron Marshall and Samaje Perine both suffered ankle injuries while second-half standout Martez Carter was waived with an injury designation. That left the Redskins with just three healthy bodies at running back, and it seemed likely that they were going to add another player to the fold.

However, Adrian Peterson wasn’t the man that many expected the team to sign. While Peterson is an exciting name and a former MVP, the fact of the matter is that he is a long-shot to be a true upgrade for the team. While there is little to no downside to bringing in Peterson, he isn’t the player he once was and he can’t be viewed as an automatic starter.

Last season, Peterson endured what was easily the worst season in which he played double-digit games. Peterson spent time with both the Saints and the Cardinals, and he totaled 529 yards and two scores on 156 carries. That was good for an average of just 3.4 yards.

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What’s worse is that over 55 percent of Peterson’s yardage came in just two games in which he ran for a combined 293 yards and two scores. While that may be demonstrative of the fact that he still has some explosive ability and can be a threat to put up big games, it doesn’t excuse the fact that in his other eight games he averaged only 2.5 yards per carry.

The Redskins are hoping that Peterson can continue to be an athletic freak and defy expectations for the 2018 season. That’s possible, but with Peterson already well past age 33 and having totaled over 2,500 carries during his career, it seems improbable. So, at the best, he seems like a rotational back.

In terms of what the Redskins already have at running back, Peterson has better vision that Rob Kelley, so he could end up being better provided that he still has some burst. However, it’s worth noting that Jay Gruden loves Kelley, so he’s probably not going to choose Peterson over Kelley when push comes to shove.

It’s also worth noting that compared to Perine, Peterson is about the same at this point in his career, and the two posted eerily similar stat lines in 2018, as depicted below.

Peterson: 10 games, 7 starts, 156 carries, 529 yards, 3.4 yards per carry, 2 total TDs, 11 catches, 70 yards, 3 fumbles

Perine: 16 games, 8 starts, 175 carries, 603 yards, 3.4 yards per carry, 2 total TDs, 22 catches, 182 yards, 2 fumbles

While Peterson was better than Perine in his prime, Perine is a player who is on the rise heading into his second season, and he showed well in the preseason before injuring his ankle. If Perine can come back healthy before Week 1, there’s a chance that he will be able to win the starting role in Washington.

Having Peterson around for depth is probably a good thing. And on paper, he’s a better option than Kelley. I’m not denying that. However, what I am denying is the fact that he is somehow an upgrade for this offense. He’s still just a rotational back at this point, and Perine has more long-term upside.

Three years ago, Peterson would absolutely have been a major improvement for the Redskins. But as it stands, he’s a 33-year-old veteran playing for his fourth team in three seasons. That’s not necessarily a recipe for success, as the Redskins have seen with other veteran backs like Larry Johnson and Shaun Alexander.

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Perhaps Peterson will prove me wrong, but I don’t see this as being a very impactful move. I think there’s a good chance that he could be off the roster after the fourth week of the preseason. It will be interesting to see if the future Hall of Famer has anything left in the tank, but I have my doubts about his role with this Redskins squad.

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