AsylumGuido

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'



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.



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 ...

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill