Dallas Cowboys Rumors: Adrian Peterson Could Replace DeMarco Murray In The Backfield Next Season

The Dallas Cowboys are rumored to be parting ways with DeMarco Murray this offseason, and may instead be looking at getting Adrian Peterson at a reduced rate.

The team is about to be hit with a free agent quandary, with both Murray and fellow offensive weapon Dez Bryant both set to hit the market this year. Sources say the Cowboys will likely only keep one of the two, and most believe that Murray will be the one hitting the road.

Now rumors indicate that the Dallas Cowboys could be looking at disgraced running back Adrian Peterson to replace Murray. Bleacher Report noted that the Cowboys may be interested in Peterson, who is still with the Minnesota Vikings but could be likely to be traded.

Though it may raise some eyebrows, the Adrian Peterson to Dallas rumors may make sense. For one, he would come at a discount to the Cowboys, freeing up the cash needed to re-sign Dez Bryant to what will likely be a big contract. And though Peterson will be playing under the cloud of his child abuse case, playing in Dallas could offer him a fresh start.

The Dallas Cowboys have been rumored to be interested in Peterson in the past. Last offseason, months before news broke of Peterson’s child abuse allegation, reports circulated that the Texas native spoke with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones by phone about possibly joining the team at some point.

ESPN writer Don Van Natta Jr. shared details of the conversation.

“As for the Peterson call, Van Natta was in Jones’ suite at AT&T Stadium when a friend of Jones’ handed the phone to him. Peterson had talked first to a Morgan Stanley money manager who had attended George Strait’s final concert on June 7 at AT&T Stadium. After the concert, Jones and several others remained in the suite; Peterson talked with the man, who handed the phone to Jones without saying who was on the line.”

“‘Well, we’ll see what we can do, if we can make that happen,’ Jones, who is also the Cowboys’ general manager, told Peterson. ‘Hmm hmm… I’d like that, too… Well, we’re talking pig Latin here, but let’s see if we can do that… We’re talking pig Latin here, but let’s see what we can do about that. OK, Adrian, thanks.'”

Adrian Peterson also admitted last year that the thought of playing for the Dallas Cowboys had “crossed his mind.” Peterson was born in Palestine, which is a little more than an hour and a half outside of Dallas.