As we near the NFL Draft, the big question
surrounding the Vikings has to do with the face of the franchise…what to do
with Adrian Peterson?
The cons are Peterson will be 30 come the 2015
season and he has the highest cap number of any running back in the league at
$15 million. The pros are he’s the best running back in the game. I refuse to
hear otherwise.
You’ll read a lot on Peterson’s age and contract,
but for a franchise that hasn’t been to the postseason since 2012, which isn’t
exactly a drought, the NFL is a slippery slope, if your rebuilding doesn’t pay
off in a matter of years, it can become an actual drought…this is where I
reference Cleveland or Oakland.
The Vikings unlike those teams have made the right
moves at most positions outside of quarterback, enter Teddy Bridgewater. So why
I ask would we let the game’s best back, for however much longer that may be,
leave the team and go right back to frantically finding a top tier player for
one of the game’s most important positions while the rest of our young roster
wastes their youth while they do so? Sticking with Peterson is comparable to
bringing in a 39 year-old quarterback to put us over the top in 2009.
We knew Brett Favre would only be around for a year,
maybe two, but we brought him in to win now. Peterson is a guy who can help us
win now. If we start over and look for someone to fill his shoes, by the time
that happens we’ll be needing to fill spots elsewhere where the production has
dropped off, which is inevitable in the NFL.
This is where many will argue Peterson’s contract is
too expensive for a 30 year-old running back, tough to disagree. But enough
with the quick fix band aid at positions that aren’t easy to fill, the Vikings
have done it for too long at the quarterback spot, largely because they
couldn’t find one in the draft. With Peterson we have the answer right in front
of us.
When the Vikings offered Peterson a six year deal
worth over $86 million, they did it knowing full well his running style could
lead to injuries, and all of a sudden he misses a full year not due to injury,
but suspension, and we question whether or not we should keep him? Suddenly
he’s on the wrong side of 30 and he’s an injury risk? This is the same guy who
nearly broke the NFL’s single season rushing record after tearing his ACL and
MCL, with almost a full year to rest his body, and he’s a “risk”. I don’t buy
it.
Vikings GM Rick Spielman said it best, "He's a
unique player you don't see come around too often. Adrian's been a key part of
our organization.” Say what you want about Spielman, but the guy knows talent,
and he’s done a wonderful job filling positions through the draft outside of
the quarterback.
The Vikings at least on paper seem to be headed in
the right direction. They loaded up in 2009 and took a chance with Brett Favre
and it nearly paid off. Now they have a younger roster ready to hit their
prime, and Adrian Peterson could be the guy to push them over the top. There
are still needs roster wise, so why make running back another one?
We haven’t even touched the topic of what it could
do for Bridgewater’s growth. The reigning Rookie of the Year could avoid
defenses focusing on him should be put number 28 in the backfield. Pick your
poison, let Teddy throw, or let Adrian run. It might not be that simple but it
sure is an intriguing problem to provide for opposing defenses.
There are a lot of questions and doubts when the topic
of Peterson comes up, age and contract mainly, but like when eating a steak,
you cut away the fat and what do you have….prime rib. The Vikings have an elite
player who has already proven doubters wrong. 2015 will be an opportunity to
prove them wrong again. We brought Favre back in 2010, it didn’t work out, but
at least we went for it and don’t have to say ‘what if’ for the rest of our
lives. Let’s do the same with Adrian Peterson.
The Vikings need a running back….for the future. As
for right now, they still employ the best in the business.
No comments:
Post a Comment