Former Pro Bowl running back Adrian Peterson has found the next stop on his illustrious career, inking a one-year deal with the Washington Redskins on Monday morning.
According to Mike Garafolo of The NFL Network, head coach Jay Gruden said the team signed Peterson due to the strong physical conditioning he demonstrated throughout his workout for the franchise.
Jay Gruden on #Redskins signing Adrian Peterson: “Really signed him because of the workout. Not just early in the workout but late in the workout. He wasn’t even breathing heavy. He’s in fantastic physical shape.”
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 21, 2018
Throughout his career, Peterson has made his physical health one of his primary focuses, as it has helped him put together many highly productive campaigns. Injuries have dogged him over the last few seasons, but he has bounced back quickly due to a strict dedication to his health as his 30s continue.
Despite suffering a neck injury prematurely ending his 2017 season, Peterson has shown that he still has plenty left in the tank to perform at a high level. Following Peterson's trade from the New Orleans Saints to the Arizona Cardinals, he notched 448 rushing yards on 129 carries in six games. This was spearheaded by a pair of performances where he compiled more than 130 rushing yards. The only concern at this point is his durability, as he has failed to play in all 16 regular season games in four out of the last five campaigns.
The 33-year-old is now directly in line to compete for playing time with Samaje Perine, Chris Thompson, and Rob Kelley. It's on him to prove that he can still be an effective option out of the backfield, because that opportunity will be there if he can do so. Simply put, this may be the last chance for Peterson to continue his NFL career on his own terms and showcase that he can defy the stereotype that has long been linked with running backs well into their 30s.
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