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Running back Adrian Peterson may want to join the New York Giants before the start of the 2017 NFL season, but the Giants should politely pass.
The New York Giants offense, theoretically, could use all of the help it can get heading into the 2017 NFL offseason. New York was responsible for one of the worst overall rushing attacks in the NFL during the 2016 regular season. The Giants scored six rushing touchdowns in 16 games, a stat that’s downright pathetic when you think about it for more than a few seconds.
What’s more, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. accounted for the majority of New York’s offense in far too many games, so much so that he was worthy of earning MVP votes (in my opinion) in a league that almost always awards quarterbacks the away. Given their needs, there was once a time, not all that long ago, when current Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson would’ve been a great fit for the Giants.
Peterson looked like arguably the best running back in the NFL back in 2015. Per Pro-Football-Reference.com, Peterson rushed for over 1,400 yards and 11 touchdowns two seasons ago. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry, caught 30 passes and appeared to be in his physical prime even though he turned 30 years old in March 2015. However, a funny thing happens with even the most elite running backs: They age and decline quickly.
All things considered, Peterson is probably the greatest running back of his generation. He’s rushed for over 11,000 yards during his career. Moreover, he once completed what was essentially a miraculous recover from an ACL and MCL tear in under a year. The argument could be made Peterson, in his prime, was as good as anybody who has ever played the position in the NFL. What he isn’t, though, is ageless. And the Giants need to realize that before taking a flier on a running back who will turn 32 before training camp begins.
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Peterson hasn’t consistently been the back of old for at least three years, the 2015 campaign standing as the outlier. He missed the majority of the 2014 season for reasons that had nothing to do with his physical health. Then, he underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus this past September. Peterson returned to the field in December, but made little impact for the Minnesota offense.
Father Time being an undefeated adversary is only one reason the Giants need to pass on Peterson. As Newsday’s Bob Glauber recently explained, there’s little reason to believe Peterson would be a good fit in New York’s offense. History shows Peterson excels while running behind a fullback, a position the Giants have abandoned with head coach Ben McAdoo running the club. McAdoo should not make drastic changes to his scheme only to benefit a player who is probably a year or two away from being out of the NFL.
The harsh reality of the situation is that Peterson, more likely than not, will be a good back in 2017. Good running backs are a dime a dozen in the NFL, however. Sure, a stellar rookie such as Ezekiel Elliott emerges every now and again, but teams usually can land a solid back in a draft whenever the need arises.
Admittedly, the Giants don’t have a long history of drafting great backs over the past decade. Paul Perkins, Andre Williams, Michael Cox, David Wilson, Da’Rel Scott and Andre Brown all failed to impress while with Big Blue. While Perkins is still in the infancy of his career, there is little doubt Peterson would be an upgrade over the 22-year-old.
New York’s previous failures do not, however, justify the team paying an aged running back any considerable amount of money for even just a year.
None of this is meant to suggest the Giants should be frugal following Super Bowl LI. New York desperately needs to bolster what was one of the worst offensive lines in the game en route to moving left tackle Ereck Flowers over to the right side of the line. The Giants also have some difficult decisions to make regarding players such as wide receiver Victor Cruz and defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. Peterson would make for a great addition to the New York roster in this year’s version of Madden. In real life, however, the Giants need to pass.
