One of the biggest NFL rumors for the past couple of years has been the new team that running back Adrian Peterson will play for. Time and time again, this rumor has come up. Time and time again, the Minnesota Vikings have held onto the star and kept him in purple. Now, the speculation is coming up again, and some of the NFL experts truly believe that his ultimate destination will be in the NFC East with the Dallas Cowboys .
A few weeks ago, there was speculation that Peterson would be targeted once again by the Cowboys, but that he would be brought in as a backup running back. Elliott has a lock on the starting position, but the word is that the dream of “All Day” playing for Dallas was back as a possibility.
In order for Adrian Peterson to play anywhere but in Minnesota, he would have to be traded or released, and it seems as if the latter is what will end up happening. After another injury-riddled season, it looks like his career with the Vikings is over, and many believe that to be true.
ESPN’s NFL guru, Adam Schefter, spoke with 97.5 The Fanatic about Peterson and said that he believes the Giants and Cowboys are two teams that could land the running back. That is, of course, if the Vikings decline his 2017 option and let him become a free agent.
“Some people have said that Peterson to the Cowboys doesn’t make any sense, but actually, it does. First of all, you’ve got the investigation of Ezekiel Elliott going on and you don’t know if the NFL is going to discipline him for any amount of time. Even if Elliott isn’t facing any kind of discipline they could bring in Adrian Peterson to take away 100 carries from Ezekiel Elliott and preserve him over time. Wouldn’t that be a wise move? Plus, how many Adrian Peterson jerseys would Jerry Jones sell with Peterson being from Texas?”
“If the Giants and Cowboys do end up battling it out for Peterson, it could be the one decision that ends up swinging the NFC East.”
Back in January, Peterson did say that he would consider playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants, or Houston Texans, according to 24/7 Sports . Now, if the Cowboys would make a play for him, he would certainly take it under strong consideration as he has expressed his interest in playing for Dallas on many occasions.
The Giants been making some interesting moves.
— Adrian Peterson (@AdrianPeterson) February 16, 2017
There is also the matter of this cryptic tweet sent out by Adrian Peterson a couple of weeks ago. Many are saying that it doesn’t mean much, but words from NFL players always mean something.
Schefter simply doesn’t believe that Adrian Peterson is going to be back in Minnesota with the cap number he is currently at. If they’re going to look at a renegotiation of his contract, Peterson is going to simply say it has come to the moment for them to part ways and not worry about that.
In 2016, Peterson had a mere 72 yards on 37 carries through three games and that was due to surgery to repair a torn meniscus suffered in Week 2. He is looking to be back on track now, though, and he could easily contribute right away to any team in the NFL.
The Dallas Cowboys do have Ezekiel Elliott as their starting running back, and that will not change unless his off-field issues come into play. Tony Romo is a clear sign that injuries can change a career and a franchise, so the Cowboys will need to have a reliable and trustworthy running back in case Elliott has to miss any action. Adrian Peterson seems like the clear-cut answer, and it is obvious that he and the Cowboys want to work together in the NFL.
[Featured Image by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images]