The Washington Football Team has opted to release running back Adrian Peterson with just over a week before the start of the 2020 NFL season. The veteran admitted that he was caught off guard by the move given the integral role he has played in their backfield.
Head coach Ron Rivera has since offered up a statement regarding Peterson's release, via ESPN's John Keim:
“It's not about what he didn’t do it's about what these other guys were doing for us and allows us to go in the direction we feel good about. The guy's got football left in him.”
While the new coaching regime wasted no time making major changes to the roster upon their arrival, they opted to keep Peterson around due to his contributions and the positive role he played in the locker. Washington's backfield seemingly took a major blow after releasing Derrius Guice due to domestic violence charges, however, Rivera's comments indicate that they are confident in the committee they assembled with Antonio Gibson, Bryce Love, Peyton Barber, and J.D. McKissic.
Despite his sudden departure, Peterson can take solace in the fact that he was able to get his career back on track after serving as the team's leading rusher with 1,940 yards, 12 touchdowns, and averaging 4.2 yards per carry during his two seasons in Washington. This has certainly helped his prospects on the open market with reports indicating that the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, and Pittsburgh Steelers are among his potential landing spots leading up to the 2020 campaign.
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