The Washington Redskins have opted to pick up their team option on running back Adrian Peterson for the 2020 NFL season. It seems he plans on kicking things up a notch.
Peterson has etched out an integral role for himself in the backfield since signing prior to the 2018 campaign. According to ESPN's John Keim, he intends to turn back the clock this upcoming season:
“Going into this season, there’s so much more I can do and how I can help this team,” Peterson said. “My mentality is showing the Adrian Peterson of old and not just flashes; really showing, ‘Wow, this cat is on a whole different level.'”
Peterson added that he knows full well what he brings to the table for the Redskins in terms of his play and experience.
“That’s not natural with a lot of guys and something I’ve been blessed with. It’s all about sharing that and being an example and showing these young guys and vet guys what it takes to be great. Just seeing that mentality from a player of my stature helps out tremendously when you have a young team and you’re trying to build that type of culture.”
There had been plenty of speculation regarding Peterson's future when he struggled to find his footing with the New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals. Fortunately, the veteran managed to take full advantage of his opportunity in Washington and his efforts have now been rewarded after making it through the new regime change with the coaching staff.
Peterson has emerged as the Redskins' lead back in place of running back Derrius Guice. Guice's track record with injuries thus fa in hissing career have seemingly spurred the team to keep the veteran around as a stabilizing factor in the backfield. A few vintage performance from the former seven-time Pro bowler and All-Pro would certainly go a long way amidst their current rebuild.
Now that Peterson has secured a home with the Redskins for another year, he now has his sights set on making NFL history. He needs to rush for 1,054 yards to eclipse Barry Sanders for No. 4 and 12 touchdowns to pass Marcus Allen for the third spot on the all-time list.
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