NFL News: Washington Redskins' keeping Adrian Peterson for the 2020-21 Season
One of the fan-favorite players is back for the 2020-21 season. The Washington Redskins picked up veteran running back Adrian Peterson's second-year option on his contract.
This was a huge move and certainly one that was expected from the organization. Peterson has been a big part of the offense since his arrival in 2018. He was initially brought in as the backup and starter in 2018 due to then-rookie running back Derrius Guice going down before the start of the season with an injury. Many people called out the Redskins for making the move, saying that the 34-year-old has no gas left in his tank.
Peterson certainly silenced all the doubters, playing and starting in all 16 games of the season, racking up 1,042 rushing yards with 7 touchdowns. Combining his single-seasons with the New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals, Peterson rushed more in his first season as a Redskin than his unfortunate time with the Saints and Cardinals. His performance was enough to bring back Peterson on a two-year deal, a way to keep him as insurance and a veteran presence for Guice and the other young running backs.
But unfortunately, Guice suffered another injury. On top of that, ex-head coach Jay Gruden made Peterson a healthy scratch in the first game of the season. Well, that was a mistake as it not only contributed to his firing, but resulted in Peterson not achieving 1000+ yards.
However, Peterson didn't show any rust despite the disorganized coaching staff and performance by the team in the 2019 season. He rushed for 898 yards for five touchdowns this past season.
Assuming Guice stays healthy, Peterson will likely share snaps with him with the new coaching staff. They know he is a good backup if Guice goes down, as well as a mentor for several players.