Football,f1 motorsports,NBA,Premier League

Now that we know Adrian Peterson will not serve jail time and have pled to a misdemeanor charge of reckless assault, will the NFL welcome back with open arms, and more importantly, which teams will get in line to try and woo the former Minnesota Vikings running back?

A report on NFL.com starts the debate by asking whether a trip back to his former NFC North team is a good idea.

Peterson pleaded no contest to reckless assault Tuesday, avoiding jail time. But only NFL commissioner Roger Goodell can reinstate Peterson from the exempt list, and league spokesperson Brian McCarthy said the league would review the court documents before making a decision. Vikings general manager Rick Spielman would not comment on the process during his midseason news conference Tuesday.

While the Minnesota Vikings front office is mum on a potential return, it appears players in the Vikings locker room would welcome him back to the franchise.

As Ben Goessling wrote, “A handful of prominent Vikings players said Tuesday they'd be excited to have Peterson back on the roster, adding that the running back wouldn't have to do anything to regain trust in the locker room after his Sept. 12 arrest for child abuse charges led to an eight-game absence.

Peterson has stayed in contact with numerous players and coaches throughout his absence, texting a motivational speech for coach Mike Zimmer to read to the team before the Vikings' win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 28 and passing along advice to rookie running back Jerick McKinnon, who has run for 445 yards in Peterson's absence.

Those types of things, players said Tuesday, went a long way toward maintaining Peterson's status as one of the team's leaders.

He was drafted by the Vikings seventh overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma. Peterson set the NCAA freshman rushing record with 1,925 yards as a true freshman during the 2004 season. As a unanimous first-team All-American, he became the first freshman to finish as the runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting. Peterson finished his college football career as the Sooners' third all-time leading rusher.

Following his first pro season, in which he set an NFL record for most rushing yards in a single game (296), Peterson was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was then awarded the MVP award for his performance in the Pro Bowl and became only the fifth player in NFL history to have more than 3,000 yards through his first two seasons. In 2010, he became the fifth fastest player to run for 5,000 yards, doing so in his 51st game.

Should the Vikings pass on a reunion with Peterson, here are four other teams that can use his services immediately.

NEW YORK JETS

It would certainly create more news and controversy in The Big Apple for head coach Rex Ryan. The Jets running game is just as dismal as the passing attack. Peterson gives Ryan more versatility on offense and creates a buzz – taking the focus off the head coach and more on the player. The New York media would eat this up.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

The Colts are a passing team – only. The Trent Richardson experiment has come and gone. The arm of Andrew Luck and a surprisingly good defense has made the Colts a prominent Super Bowl-potential team. Adding Peterson makes this team the favorite in the AFC immediately and he gives the franchise back it has lacked for years.

ATLANTA FALCONS

Somewhere in a think tank, Thomas Dimitroff and Rich McKay are trying to figure out how to land Peterson. The Falcons traded for Mike Vick in 2001 by trading draft picks with the San Diego Chargers, who took LaDanian Tomlinson. Falcons fans I’m sure would have rather had the footwork of Tomlinson. Peterson would flourish in the Falcons offense and take pressure off Matt Ryan to make it all happen through the air.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Peterson gets a Super Bowl ring and Tom Brady goes down as the greatest quarterback of all time. This makes the most logical sense if Minnesota does not bring him back. The Patriots are used to bringing in veterans who help make the team better. This may be the best move Bill Belichick has ever made.

Now that we know Adrian Peterson will not serve jail time and have pled to a misdemeanor charge of reckless assault, will the NFL welcome back with open arms, and more importantly, which teams will get in line to try and woo the former Minnesota Vikings running back?

A report on NFL.com starts the debate by asking whether a trip back to his former NFC North team is a good idea.

Peterson pleaded no contest to reckless assault Tuesday, avoiding jail time. But only NFL commissioner Roger Goodell can reinstate Peterson from the exempt list, and league spokesperson Brian McCarthy said the league would review the court documents before making a decision. Vikings general manager Rick Spielman would not comment on the process during his midseason news conference Tuesday.

While the Minnesota Vikings front office is mum on a potential return, it appears players in the Vikings locker room would welcome him back to the franchise.

As Ben Goessling wrote, “A handful of prominent Vikings players said Tuesday they'd be excited to have Peterson back on the roster, adding that the running back wouldn't have to do anything to regain trust in the locker room after his Sept. 12 arrest for child abuse charges led to an eight-game absence.

Peterson has stayed in contact with numerous players and coaches throughout his absence, texting a motivational speech for coach Mike Zimmer to read to the team before the Vikings' win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 28 and passing along advice to rookie running back Jerick McKinnon, who has run for 445 yards in Peterson's absence.

Those types of things, players said Tuesday, went a long way toward maintaining Peterson's status as one of the team's leaders.

He was drafted by the Vikings seventh overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma. Peterson set the NCAA freshman rushing record with 1,925 yards as a true freshman during the 2004 season. As a unanimous first-team All-American, he became the first freshman to finish as the runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting. Peterson finished his college football career as the Sooners' third all-time leading rusher.

Following his first pro season, in which he set an NFL record for most rushing yards in a single game (296), Peterson was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was then awarded the MVP award for his performance in the Pro Bowl and became only the fifth player in NFL history to have more than 3,000 yards through his first two seasons. In 2010, he became the fifth fastest player to run for 5,000 yards, doing so in his 51st game.

Should the Vikings pass on a reunion with Peterson, here are four other teams that can use his services immediately.

NEW YORK JETS

It would certainly create more news and controversy in The Big Apple for head coach Rex Ryan. The Jets running game is just as dismal as the passing attack. Peterson gives Ryan more versatility on offense and creates a buzz – taking the focus off the head coach and more on the player. The New York media would eat this up.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

The Colts are a passing team – only. The Trent Richardson experiment has come and gone. The arm of Andrew Luck and a surprisingly good defense has made the Colts a prominent Super Bowl-potential team. Adding Peterson makes this team the favorite in the AFC immediately and he gives the franchise back it has lacked for years.

ATLANTA FALCONS

Somewhere in a think tank, Thomas Dimitroff and Rich McKay are trying to figure out how to land Peterson. The Falcons traded for Mike Vick in 2001 by trading draft picks with the San Diego Chargers, who took LaDanian Tomlinson. Falcons fans I’m sure would have rather had the footwork of Tomlinson. Peterson would flourish in the Falcons offense and take pressure off Matt Ryan to make it all happen through the air.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Peterson gets a Super Bowl ring and Tom Brady goes down as the greatest quarterback of all time. This makes the most logical sense if Minnesota does not bring him back. The Patriots are used to bringing in veterans who help make the team better. This may be the best move Bill Belichick has ever made.

The Dallas Cowboys are off to a great 5-1 record so far this year. They are tied for first in the NFC east with the Philadelphia Eagles. One of the reasons the Cowboys are off to their great start is because of running back DeMarco Murray. Murray might even be the frontrunner for league MVP. So far through 6 games Murray has 785 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns. He is on pace to rush for over 2,000 yards and over 400 attempts in a season. The Cowboys are in a tough spot right now since Murray is a free agent at the end of the year. The Cowboys have also been linked to Minnesota Vikings troubled running back Adrian Peterson. So what would happen if Dallas would sign Peterson? What would happen to Murray?

If the Cowboys were smart they would try to keep Murray along with signing Adrian Peterson. With all the legal troubles Peterson is facing, it’s tough to say when he will be able to play in a game. There are reports out now saying Peterson could face suspension when his court days are over. I realistically see Peterson playing mid way towards the end of next year, or maybe even two years from now depending on how hard Roger Goodell comes down on him with suspensions. The Cowboys could also sign Peterson to a really cheap contract, thinking that no other NFL team will take a chance on him. That also depends on if the Vikings release Peterson.

Lining up Peterson and Murray in the back field at the same time could confuse the defense since they won't know who will carry the ball. Murray has his history of injuries; having Peterson there to take off some of the wear and tear could keep Murray fresher and the same could be said about keeping Peterson fresh. There has also only been 6 teams in NFL history that had two teammates both rush for over 1,000 yards in a season. Murray and Peterson together could make it 7 NFL teams in history.

The hardest part is re-signing DeMarco Murray. Almost every team would love to sign Murray. The Cowboys will also have to try to sign wide receiver Dez Bryant who will also be a free agent at the end of the year. According to reports the Cowboys are already in talks with Murray trying to work a new contract out with him. Murray and Bryant won't be cheap to sign though. The signing of Peterson could help the Cowboys in many ways, one by helping split carries with Murray and two he could be the lead runner incase Murray doesn't resign with the Cowboys.

Do you play Fantasy Football? If the answer is yes, this week is the most exciting opportunity in the history of the game. Win a MILLION DOLLARS playing Fantasy Football this week only! Go to www.FFChamps.com/million and get in on the action. 

It sounds crazy right?  Why would anyone let arguably the best running back on the young 2014 season go after what is looking to be a career year?  On top of that, why would you let that guy go and pick up another guy who's best years are likely behind him and will probably bring a P.R. headache along with him.  Here's why:

 You already know what Demarco Murray has done so far on the season; pretty much whatever he wants.  He's run for over 100 yards and a score in every game and will probably continue that streak this Sunday when the Cowboys take on Houston.  Murray is in his final year of his rookie contract and will be looking to get paid at the end of the season, and with good reason.  At age 26 and with at least a couple more seasons of possible Pro-Bowl type performance, Murray will be worth the money that top flite running backs get.  Getting a deal done will depend on not only how much the Cowboys are willing to pay, but also both parties agreeing on how much the deal will be for.  The Cowboys will likely want a three year contract while Murray could be looking to get closer to five years.  Murray's history tells us that he is injury prone and the Cowboys don't want to be paying for a guy who used to be Demarco Murray four years down the line that can't stay healthy. 

So why bring in Adrian Peterson, who is already 29 and has more baggage than any team would want to deal with?

The big thing with Peterson is he's now limited on which teams, if any, will be open to taking him.  While most, if not all of the country is in agreement that the domestic violence situation with Ray Rice and others is absolutely awful and inexcusable, there are parts of the country that at least understand Peterson's approach when it comes to disciplining a child.  While many people would agree that Peterson may have crossed a line, some of those same people would also say that part of their method of discipline involves spanking.  One of the few places in the country where this approach may be understood by a vast majority of people is Texas. You're not going to find a place where 100% of the people are for or against anything, but locations in the South are likely to have a majority of people that agree with where Peterson was coming from, even if they think he went too far. 

Aside from the cultural and moral beliefs, there are the financial reasons behind all of it.  The rest of Peterson's contract is non-guaranteed, meaning that if the Vikings cut him they would save 56 million dollars.  While the Vikings don't have another Peterson on the bench, they do have Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon, the latter of which Vikings fans are very excited about.  McKinnon is 22 years old and along with rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, and young wide receiver Cordarelle Patterson, the Vikings are excited about his future.  The Vikings already have budding superstars at every skill spot.  Think about what they could do to bolster their lineup with an extra fifty-six million to work with.

Back to the Cowboys.  Why would they be interested in bringing in Peterson?  Any team that decides they want to step into the waters of signing Peterson will no doubt play the, "Not many other teams are going to want you." card.  And they are right.  There are only a handful of teams that will even consider it and that will bring Peterson's value down.  Remember that earlier this year, Peterson supposedly had a quick conversation where he expressed to Jerry Jones that he would like to play for the Cowboys at some point.  The Cowboys could likely sign Peterson to a cheap contract and for only a couple of years.  Yes, he's 29, but this is still Adrian Peterson.  The O-Line that Dallas has is so good that you or I could run through it.  What do you think Adrian Peterson could do with it?  The Cowboys could give Peterson the ball for a couple of years and draft a young running back during that time who would be ready to take over once Peterson is gone.  

It's not what Cowboys fans want to hear, but re-signing Demarco Murray isn't the best option for the future. When it all comes down to it, it's all about the money and that doesn't just mean money that is brought in, but also money that is saved, which both the Vikings and Cowboys would do with a deal like this.  Whether you like it or not, winning cures most, if not all, ills.  If the Cowboys can bring in Peterson and he can be the Peterson that he has been for a couple of years for them, and if the Vikings can get rid of the massive amount of money they currently owe Peterson, Dallas may have a new, "old" guy running the ball for them. 

Don't forget to go to www.FFChamps.com/million and get your lineup set for this Sunday's Millionaire Maker contest.  Time is running out.  Don't miss your chance at a million dollars!

Do you play Fantasy Football? If the answer is yes, this week is the most exciting opportunity in the history of the game. Win a MILLION DOLLARS playing Fantasy Football this week only! Go to www.FFChamps.com/million and get in on the action. 

It sounds crazy right?  Why would anyone let arguably the best running back on the young 2014 season go after what is looking to be a career year?  On top of that, why would you let that guy go and pick up another guy who's best years are likely behind him and will probably bring a P.R. headache along with him.  Here's why:

 You already know what Demarco Murray has done so far on the season; pretty much whatever he wants.  He's run for over 100 yards and a score in every game and will probably continue that streak this Sunday when the Cowboys take on Houston.  Murray is in his final year of his rookie contract and will be looking to get paid at the end of the season, and with good reason.  At age 26 and with at least a couple more seasons of possible Pro-Bowl type performance, Murray will be worth the money that top flite running backs get.  Getting a deal done will depend on not only how much the Cowboys are willing to pay, but also both parties agreeing on how much the deal will be for.  The Cowboys will likely want a three year contract while Murray could be looking to get closer to five years.  Murray's history tells us that he is injury prone and the Cowboys don't want to be paying for a guy who used to be Demarco Murray four years down the line that can't stay healthy. 

So why bring in Adrian Peterson, who is already 29 and has more baggage than any team would want to deal with?

The big thing with Peterson is he's now limited on which teams, if any, will be open to taking him.  While most, if not all of the country is in agreement that the domestic violence situation with Ray Rice and others is absolutely awful and inexcusable, there are parts of the country that at least understand Peterson's approach when it comes to disciplining a child.  While many people would agree that Peterson may have crossed a line, some of those same people would also say that part of their method of discipline involves spanking.  One of the few places in the country where this approach may be understood by a vast majority of people is Texas. You're not going to find a place where 100% of the people are for or against anything, but locations in the South are likely to have a majority of people that agree with where Peterson was coming from, even if they think he went too far. 

Aside from the cultural and moral beliefs, there are the financial reasons behind all of it.  The rest of Peterson's contract is non-guaranteed, meaning that if the Vikings cut him they would save 56 million dollars.  While the Vikings don't have another Peterson on the bench, they do have Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon, the latter of which Vikings fans are very excited about.  McKinnon is 22 years old and along with rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, and young wide receiver Cordarelle Patterson, the Vikings are excited about his future.  The Vikings already have budding superstars at every skill spot.  Think about what they could do to bolster their lineup with an extra fifty-six million to work with.

Back to the Cowboys.  Why would they be interested in bringing in Peterson?  Any team that decides they want to step into the waters of signing Peterson will no doubt play the, "Not many other teams are going to want you." card.  And they are right.  There are only a handful of teams that will even consider it and that will bring Peterson's value down.  Remember that earlier this year, Peterson supposedly had a quick conversation where he expressed to Jerry Jones that he would like to play for the Cowboys at some point.  The Cowboys could likely sign Peterson to a cheap contract and for only a couple of years.  Yes, he's 29, but this is still Adrian Peterson.  The O-Line that Dallas has is so good that you or I could run through it.  What do you think Adrian Peterson could do with it?  The Cowboys could give Peterson the ball for a couple of years and draft a young running back during that time who would be ready to take over once Peterson is gone.  

It's not what Cowboys fans want to hear, but re-signing Demarco Murray isn't the best option for the future. When it all comes down to it, it's all about the money and that doesn't just mean money that is brought in, but also money that is saved, which both the Vikings and Cowboys would do with a deal like this.  Whether you like it or not, winning cures most, if not all, ills.  If the Cowboys can bring in Peterson and he can be the Peterson that he has been for a couple of years for them, and if the Vikings can get rid of the massive amount of money they currently owe Peterson, Dallas may have a new, "old" guy running the ball for them. 

Don't forget to go to www.FFChamps.com/million and get your lineup set for this Sunday's Millionaire Maker contest.  Time is running out.  Don't miss your chance at a million dollars!

With Adrian Peterson’s off-field issues, some believe he may have played his last game as a Minnesota Vikings.  This got us thinking: What teams could use Adrian Peterson the most?

Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta is using four Running Backs in some type of rotation this season and while averaging 121.3 rushing yards a game, a running back like Peterson would give them a running game that defenses would have to focus on.  Atlanta can air it out with the best of them, but down the stretch you need a strong running game to make that play-off push.  Peterson would single handedly change the Falcons from play-off contender to the favorite to unseat Seattle as NFC Champions.

Carolina Panthers 

The NFC South is wide open for the taking with 2-2 being good enough for first place at the moment.  In the off-season, Carolina was criticized for not addressing their passing game.  However, Carolina is averaging 280.3 passing yards a game and Kelvin Benjamin has been spectacular.  On the flip side, their rushing game has been very, very bad averaging 72.3 rushing yards a game.  On top of that Carolina has had to deal with injuries to their top four running threats; DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Tolbert and Cam Newton.  Adding Peterson is a no-brainer; he is durable and could carry the load for the team.  Carolina has already shown that it is willing to pay more than one Running Back so the contract would not be an issue.  Most importantly, adding Peterson would take some pressure off of Cam Newton and give him more time in the pocket to pass the ball, take fewer hits, and heal up from his injuries.

San Diego Chargers 

The Chargers haven’t had much luck with the Running Back position this season.  Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead have both missed time with injuries and Donald Brown only hit 100 yards this week, for the season.  The Chargers came into Week 3 averaging only 78.7 yards per game, and with 42 rushing yards in Week 4 that number did not improve.  Philip Rivers had some great years with LaDainian Tomlinson, so he knows what the addition of someone like Peterson could do for his team.  San Diego is playing very well and the addition of Peterson could help them not only challenge the Broncos for the AFC West, but make them a real threat to win it all.

Denver Broncos 

While we are talking about Denver, Peyton Manning could use a workhorse like Peterson to accompany him in the backfield.  Monte Ball hasn’t played poorly this season, but Manning’s window for Super Bowls is closing and having Peterson would cause defenses even more fits than Denver already does today.  Denver is only averaging 75.3 rushing yards a game and if that continues, it would mean that they would be heavily relying on Manning’s arm to carry them through the season and into the play-offs yet again.  Denver has improved its defense, if it improved its running game, this team could be completely unstoppable.

New England Patriots 

The Patriots rushing attack has been lackluster this season, averaging only 105 rushing yards per game.  Shane Vereen has been effective at times catching passes out of the backfield and Stevan Ridley has yet to show that he can be consistent enough to be the premiere back.  Peterson would give the Patriots an every down back that they haven’t had since Corey Dillon.  Adding Peterson would be a great addition to help prolong Brady’s career and more importantly, help ignite a struggling Patriots’ offense.

With Adrian Peterson’s off-field issues, some believe he may have played his last game as a Minnesota Vikings.  This got us thinking: What teams could use Adrian Peterson the most?

Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta is using four Running Backs in some type of rotation this season and while averaging 121.3 rushing yards a game, a running back like Peterson would give them a running game that defenses would have to focus on.  Atlanta can air it out with the best of them, but down the stretch you need a strong running game to make that play-off push.  Peterson would single handedly change the Falcons from play-off contender to the favorite to unseat Seattle as NFC Champions.

Carolina Panthers 

The NFC South is wide open for the taking with 2-2 being good enough for first place at the moment.  In the off-season, Carolina was criticized for not addressing their passing game.  However, Carolina is averaging 280.3 passing yards a game and Kelvin Benjamin has been spectacular.  On the flip side, their rushing game has been very, very bad averaging 72.3 rushing yards a game.  On top of that Carolina has had to deal with injuries to their top four running threats; DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Tolbert and Cam Newton.  Adding Peterson is a no-brainer; he is durable and could carry the load for the team.  Carolina has already shown that it is willing to pay more than one Running Back so the contract would not be an issue.  Most importantly, adding Peterson would take some pressure off of Cam Newton and give him more time in the pocket to pass the ball, take fewer hits, and heal up from his injuries.

San Diego Chargers 

The Chargers haven’t had much luck with the Running Back position this season.  Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead have both missed time with injuries and Donald Brown only hit 100 yards this week, for the season.  The Chargers came into Week 3 averaging only 78.7 yards per game, and with 42 rushing yards in Week 4 that number did not improve.  Philip Rivers had some great years with LaDainian Tomlinson, so he knows what the addition of someone like Peterson could do for his team.  San Diego is playing very well and the addition of Peterson could help them not only challenge the Broncos for the AFC West, but make them a real threat to win it all.

Denver Broncos 

While we are talking about Denver, Peyton Manning could use a workhorse like Peterson to accompany him in the backfield.  Monte Ball hasn’t played poorly this season, but Manning’s window for Super Bowls is closing and having Peterson would cause defenses even more fits than Denver already does today.  Denver is only averaging 75.3 rushing yards a game and if that continues, it would mean that they would be heavily relying on Manning’s arm to carry them through the season and into the play-offs yet again.  Denver has improved its defense, if it improved its running game, this team could be completely unstoppable.

New England Patriots 

The Patriots rushing attack has been lackluster this season, averaging only 105 rushing yards per game.  Shane Vereen has been effective at times catching passes out of the backfield and Stevan Ridley has yet to show that he can be consistent enough to be the premiere back.  Peterson would give the Patriots an every down back that they haven’t had since Corey Dillon.  Adding Peterson would be a great addition to help prolong Brady’s career and more importantly, help ignite a struggling Patriots’ offense.

With Adrian Peterson’s off-field issues, some believe he may have played his last game as a Minnesota Vikings.  This got us thinking: What teams could use Adrian Peterson the most?

Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta is using four Running Backs in some type of rotation this season and while averaging 121.3 rushing yards a game, a running back like Peterson would give them a running game that defenses would have to focus on.  Atlanta can air it out with the best of them, but down the stretch you need a strong running game to make that play-off push.  Peterson would single handedly change the Falcons from play-off contender to the favorite to unseat Seattle as NFC Champions.

Carolina Panthers 

The NFC South is wide open for the taking with 2-2 being good enough for first place at the moment.  In the off-season, Carolina was criticized for not addressing their passing game.  However, Carolina is averaging 280.3 passing yards a game and Kelvin Benjamin has been spectacular.  On the flip side, their rushing game has been very, very bad averaging 72.3 rushing yards a game.  On top of that Carolina has had to deal with injuries to their top four running threats; DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Tolbert and Cam Newton.  Adding Peterson is a no-brainer; he is durable and could carry the load for the team.  Carolina has already shown that it is willing to pay more than one Running Back so the contract would not be an issue.  Most importantly, adding Peterson would take some pressure off of Cam Newton and give him more time in the pocket to pass the ball, take fewer hits, and heal up from his injuries.

San Diego Chargers 

The Chargers haven’t had much luck with the Running Back position this season.  Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead have both missed time with injuries and Donald Brown only hit 100 yards this week, for the season.  The Chargers came into Week 3 averaging only 78.7 yards per game, and with 42 rushing yards in Week 4 that number did not improve.  Philip Rivers had some great years with LaDainian Tomlinson, so he knows what the addition of someone like Peterson could do for his team.  San Diego is playing very well and the addition of Peterson could help them not only challenge the Broncos for the AFC West, but make them a real threat to win it all.

Denver Broncos 

While we are talking about Denver, Peyton Manning could use a workhorse like Peterson to accompany him in the backfield.  Monte Ball hasn’t played poorly this season, but Manning’s window for Super Bowls is closing and having Peterson would cause defenses even more fits than Denver already does today.  Denver is only averaging 75.3 rushing yards a game and if that continues, it would mean that they would be heavily relying on Manning’s arm to carry them through the season and into the play-offs yet again.  Denver has improved its defense, if it improved its running game, this team could be completely unstoppable.

New England Patriots 

The Patriots rushing attack has been lackluster this season, averaging only 105 rushing yards per game.  Shane Vereen has been effective at times catching passes out of the backfield and Stevan Ridley has yet to show that he can be consistent enough to be the premiere back.  Peterson would give the Patriots an every down back that they haven’t had since Corey Dillon.  Adding Peterson would be a great addition to help prolong Brady’s career and more importantly, help ignite a struggling Patriots’ offense.

With Adrian Peterson’s off-field issues, some believe he may have played his last game as a Minnesota Vikings.  This got us thinking: What teams could use Adrian Peterson the most?

Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta is using four Running Backs in some type of rotation this season and while averaging 121.3 rushing yards a game, a running back like Peterson would give them a running game that defenses would have to focus on.  Atlanta can air it out with the best of them, but down the stretch you need a strong running game to make that play-off push.  Peterson would single handedly change the Falcons from play-off contender to the favorite to unseat Seattle as NFC Champions.

Carolina Panthers 

The NFC South is wide open for the taking with 2-2 being good enough for first place at the moment.  In the off-season, Carolina was criticized for not addressing their passing game.  However, Carolina is averaging 280.3 passing yards a game and Kelvin Benjamin has been spectacular.  On the flip side, their rushing game has been very, very bad averaging 72.3 rushing yards a game.  On top of that Carolina has had to deal with injuries to their top four running threats; DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Tolbert and Cam Newton.  Adding Peterson is a no-brainer; he is durable and could carry the load for the team.  Carolina has already shown that it is willing to pay more than one Running Back so the contract would not be an issue.  Most importantly, adding Peterson would take some pressure off of Cam Newton and give him more time in the pocket to pass the ball, take fewer hits, and heal up from his injuries.

San Diego Chargers 

The Chargers haven’t had much luck with the Running Back position this season.  Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead have both missed time with injuries and Donald Brown only hit 100 yards this week, for the season.  The Chargers came into Week 3 averaging only 78.7 yards per game, and with 42 rushing yards in Week 4 that number did not improve.  Philip Rivers had some great years with LaDainian Tomlinson, so he knows what the addition of someone like Peterson could do for his team.  San Diego is playing very well and the addition of Peterson could help them not only challenge the Broncos for the AFC West, but make them a real threat to win it all.

Denver Broncos 

While we are talking about Denver, Peyton Manning could use a workhorse like Peterson to accompany him in the backfield.  Monte Ball hasn’t played poorly this season, but Manning’s window for Super Bowls is closing and having Peterson would cause defenses even more fits than Denver already does today.  Denver is only averaging 75.3 rushing yards a game and if that continues, it would mean that they would be heavily relying on Manning’s arm to carry them through the season and into the play-offs yet again.  Denver has improved its defense, if it improved its running game, this team could be completely unstoppable.

New England Patriots 

The Patriots rushing attack has been lackluster this season, averaging only 105 rushing yards per game.  Shane Vereen has been effective at times catching passes out of the backfield and Stevan Ridley has yet to show that he can be consistent enough to be the premiere back.  Peterson would give the Patriots an every down back that they haven’t had since Corey Dillon.  Adding Peterson would be a great addition to help prolong Brady’s career and more importantly, help ignite a struggling Patriots’ offense.