Former Washington Football Team RB Adrian Peterson signs with Lions

The 35-year old Adrian Peterson didn’t wait long to find work after being released by the Washington Football Team two days ago.

The Washington Football Team‘s release of Adrian Peterson came as a surprise to many, as Peterson had constituted a significant portion of the team’s offensive production over the 2018 and 2019 regular seasons. Despite the move’s valid reasoning, it leaves an undeniable void in the locker room.

Washington cut Peterson to capitalize on the youth movement in their running back room, and also favored the increased versatility of other options such as third-round rookie Antonio Gibson and former Detroit Lion J.D. McKissic. Peterson is not as multi-faceted at this stage of his career, but he still offers some playmaking ability and veteran leadership, which is why he garnered interest after being released.

Peterson reportedly received calls from numerous teams, but earlier this morning, it was revealed that he ultimately chose to sign with the Detroit Lions of the NFC North. NFL insider Josina Anderson confirmed the news on Twitter.

Peterson will join a running back room that includes former Alabama standout Bo Scarborough, Maryland product Ty Johnson, second-round pick Kerryon Johnson, and 2020 second-round rookie D’Andre Swift. He’ll likely replace one of the aforementioned players on the roster, and he could see significant action with Detroit, as the team’s offensive coordinator, Darrell Bevell, was Peterson’s play caller in his early years at Minnesota.

The Washington Football Team gave Peterson a respectful send-off, purposely releasing him a day early so that he could get a head start on finding his next team. They also publicly thanked him on multiple media outlets, and dozens of Washington players voiced their thanks for Peterson’s leadership over the past two seasons.

Peterson originally signed with the Washington Football Team late in the summer of 2018. After two years of minimal production, Peterson exploded back onto the scene with Washington, breaking the 1,000-yard mark in a comeback season that saw him amass 1,042 yards and seven touchdowns on 251 carries.

The next year, Peterson reprised his role as the team’s lead back, and continued to produce amidst dysfunction. He logged 898 yards and five scores on 211 carries in 2019, and stayed on through the 2020 offseason to provide mentorship to the team’s younger players.

Now Peterson will presumably do the same for Detroit’s young backfield, as he heads into his 14th NFL season.