Should the Las Vegas Raiders take a flyer on Adrian Peterson?

The Washington Football Team recently made a surprise move by releasing Adrian Peterson, and the Raiders could be in the market for another running back.

Although Adrian Peterson is no longer in his prime, he is still a valuable running back in this league, and would actually be a solid fit with the Las Vegas Raiders. In 2018, Peterson rushed for over 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns in Washington, and although he did not have as much success in 2019, he still managed 898 yards and five touchdowns.

Although Josh Jacobs is a work horse, and can carry the majority of the load on his own, it is in the team’s best long term interest to add another back that can take some of that pressure off of him and help keep him healthy.

The Raiders have a few decent backs on their roster already, but they are mainly receiving backs that do not have the same skill set as Peterson. Jalen Richard‘s spot on the team is locked, but with receiving backs like him and Lynn Bowden Jr on the team, it does not make a ton of sense to keep Devontae Booker or Theo Riddick on the team, considering they all have similar skill sets.

Peterson would bring another “traditional” back role that could keep defenses honest when Jacobs is not on the field. Not only will Peterson be able to help the Raiders on the field, but he could be a great mentor to Jacobs off the field. Peterson is one of the best backs to ever play, and he surely has a lot to give to a young up and coming back like Josh Jacobs.

In addition to the fit on the field, Peterson also has familiarity with current Raiders running back coach Kirby Wilson. In fact, Wilson was the Minnesota Vikings running back coach during the 2015 season, when Peterson came back from a devastating knee injury and was a First Team All-Pro, rushing for a league-high 1,435 yards.

If the Raiders are able to sign Peterson to a reasonable one-year deal, I believe it would be beneficial to the team. Peterson has proven that he has more to give, and Jacobs could use some relief in the backfield.