Prepare for AP 2.0: 'He Is Still Going to Be in That Upper 1 Percent'
 

The most in-depth article I have seen on Peterson here. Warning to those with a short attention span ... it is long, but well worth the time.

Prepare for AP 2.0: 'He Is Still Going to Be in That Upper 1 Percent'

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DAN POMPEI
JULY 11, 2017

METAIRIE, La. — It was late April, time for Adrian Peterson to make a decision about his future.

He was back home in Houston after a free-agent visit to New Orleans. He was praying for a sign. Saints? Patriots? Seahawks? Another team? Then one day he was looking for a duffel bag in his home office. Things were out of place because the house was being cleaned, and he couldn't find the bag. So instead he grabbed a black leather bag he'd had for years. It had a piece of tape on it. Peterson had forgotten why it was there. He tore off the tape.

And there was his sign.

The logo of the New Orleans Saints.

For many, it is difficult to think of Peterson representing anything other than the Vikings. Over the past decade, he was the Vikings. When you thought of the Vikings, you thought of Peterson going through defenses like wildfire through dry brush.

Until the last few years. In 2014, he played only one game as a result of a suspension stemming from child abuse charges. Then last season, he tore his meniscus in the second game. He returned late in December but was not himself.

And without Peterson as its driving force, the team's offense evolved. His coaches came to think he didn't fit as well as he used to. He was closer to the end than the beginning. His contract called for him to make $18 million. When they chose to make him a free agent, it wasn't even a surprise. No one reacted harshly to the decision. Not media. Not fans. And not Peterson.

"It was time for a change of scenery," he says. "I wanted to do something different. I knew a change was needed."

There was no doubt he no longer belonged in Minnesota.

He belonged in New Orleans. But why? Surely the answer wasn't just a duffel bag.

The reason has something to do with Sean Payton.

It was Payton who drove the Saints' pursuit of Peterson, and Payton who is trying to derive something special from him.

When Peterson found out the Saints were interested in him, he called his old college teammate Clint Ingram, a linebacker who had spent time with the Saints.

"I told him Coach Payton was one of the sharpest coaches I've ever been around," Ingram says.

During Peterson's recruiting visit to the Saints, Payton met him for breakfast at the Ritz Carlton. The pancakes, eggs over medium and hash browns from the buffet went down easy, as did the sales pitch from Payton.

"I loved his honesty," Peterson says. "He was straightforward. I could sense he really wanted me to be a part of the organization. All coaches want to win, but you can see it more with him. He's very passionate about what he does. About 98 percent of the time, he was doing the talking."

Payton also asked some questions. He wanted to know Peterson's favorite runs. Peterson's answer? Power and Duo. These have not been staples of the Saints' running game in the past. But that might be changing, and luckily the team has a fullback in John Kuhn who can help make it work.

"There are certain runs that he values over others," Payton says. "Well then I value them, too."

Kuhn says the best thing about Payton is he looks to create matchups based on his personnel.

For nearly every game of his career, Peterson has been the focal point of the opposing defense. That should change with Drew Brees as his quarterback. Payton wonders what Peterson can do against seven in the box.

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He'd also like to see what he can do after catching a pass in space against lone defensive backs. Peterson is reputed to be a rundown player only with average ability as a receiver and pass protector. The Saints present an opportunity to show this pony can turn more than one trick.

Peterson has had more than 400 receiving yards only once in his career. This year, he'd like 500.

"I was attracted to playing with Brees, a guy who is good at distributing the ball to different players," Peterson says. "I know in this system, I'll get some opportunities to catch the ball in space. Drew Brees, he'll get the ball to me."

If anyone can reimagine Adrian Peterson, it's the head coach of the Saints.

Lots more here ...

Re: Prepare for AP 2.0: 'He Is Still Going to Be in That Upper 1 Percent'
 

Another great snippet here ...

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On his first day in the Saints' weight room, Peterson approached a group of players doing box jumps.

"We were feeling pretty good about ourselves because we were jumping at a pretty good height," Kuhn says.

Peterson eyed the box, which was 42 inches high. He lined up to jump. And instead of jumping with two legs, as his teammates had, he nailed the jump with just his left leg. And then he did it with his right—the one that was surgically repaired last season.

His teammates were stunned. "That was kind of the, 'Hey, I'm here,' moment," Kuhn says.

There had been a similar moment a couple of weeks earlier at O Athletik, the Houston gym that Peterson owns. His trainer, James "Coop" Cooper, tested Peterson in a superset of four exercises. First, bench pressing 300 pounds. Peterson nailed 12 reps. Then pullups. Peterson hit 20. Next was bench pressing 225 pounds. Peterson made it to 20 presses. Last was squatting 425 pounds. Peterson did it eight times. All with no rest between sets.

"That's a really good PR (personal record)," says Cooper, who has been working with Peterson for eight years. "He normally wouldn't be near that kind of PR until May, and he was there in late March."

Also working out at O Athletik are running backs Melvin Gordon of the Chargers, Ty Montgomery of the Packers and Joe Mixon of the Bengals.

"These guys are no jokes," Cooper says of the younger backs.

But Cooper says Peterson is either ahead of them or even with them in terms of speed, cutting ability and being able to come out of breaks.

Re: Prepare for AP 2.0: 'He Is Still Going to Be in That Upper 1 Percent'
 

I really feel like Peterson is the real thing. With Brees, Ingram, Peterson, Kamara, Kuhn, Thomas, Snead, Ginn and Fleener the Saints offense can be unstoppable.

Re: Prepare for AP 2.0: 'He Is Still Going to Be in That Upper 1 Percent'
 

That piece right there is a good one.

Re: Prepare for AP 2.0: 'He Is Still Going to Be in That Upper 1 Percent'
 

Oh Brother 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0,..............! It was clever ONCE!

Re: Prepare for AP 2.0: 'He Is Still Going to Be in That Upper 1 Percent'
 

We had 10 rushing TDs Ingram and Hightower combined. I think that is going to look a lot different. That's AP's career average including the two bolo years. Granted, he is not the solo feature RB right now but I see our rushing TDs going up double or more. Tea leaves are saying it will be much harder shut us down in the RZ.

Re: Prepare for AP 2.0: 'He Is Still Going to Be in That Upper 1 Percent'
 

Different offense, different coaches and a different coaching philosophy make past history just crap. That being said, I'm still thinking AP's gonna have a great year along with the rest of the team.

Re: Prepare for AP 2.0: 'He Is Still Going to Be in That Upper 1 Percent'
 

That was a great article. Really glad they came back around to how AP ended up w/ a Saints duffle in the first place. He was "riding with the Saints" since long ago. And a saint is just a sinner who gets back up...man that's good stuff!

Re: Prepare for AP 2.0: 'He Is Still Going to Be in That Upper 1 Percent'
 

Yup. I hope everyone takes the time to read the entire article, but I know there will be several that don't. Their loss.

Re: Prepare for AP 2.0: 'He Is Still Going to Be in That Upper 1 Percent'
 

Sometimes you've just gotta' have faith and look for a sign.