Adrian Peterson’s visit with the Patriots could be interesting for LeGarrette Blount, Jonathan Kraft
Free agent running back Adrian Peterson is scheduled to visit the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots on Monday, according to multiple media reports.
Minnesota Vikings declined to pick up an $18-million option on their all-time leading rusher on March 9, then signed former Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Bryant as his replacement. That left Peterson free to sign with a different team for the first time in a 10-year NFL career that included a league MVP award and seven Pro Bowl selections.
More than three weeks later, Peterson is still without a team. He visited the Seattle Seahawks on March 13, but they ended up signing former Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy instead. Last week, Peterson tweeted about his free agency, saying it’s all about “finding the best fit & helping a team in a major way win a championship.”
Right now, the Patriots are in need of help at running back since they have yet to re-sign free agent LeGarrette Blount, who rushed for 1,161 yards and a league-best 18 touchdowns last season. Whether they are interested in Peterson as a possible replacement for Blount or just using his visit as a negotiating ploy is anyone’s guess.
Either way, that visit could be a bit awkward considering comments Patriots President Jonathan Kraft made while Peterson was facing child abuse charges in 2014, which came soon after the Ray Rice domestic abuse scandal.
“I just don’t get it, so it is hard to comment on,” Jonathan Kraft said at the time. “Other than the fact the way I was brought up and the way I brought my children is you don’t lay your hands on them. From where I sit it is completely unacceptable and as abhorrent as what we have been talking about [with Ray Rice]. It was interesting hearing some people raise a defense about it being cultural and I can’t comment on that.
“Everything I have heard about this makes you just physically uncomfortable as the other stuff we have talked about. And I think it is a real issue and in this case I think Adrian Peterson in his comments basically did say it is a thing he grew up with and is culturally what the norm is. I can’t comment on it because it is just so alien to me.”
Peterson spent all but one game that season either on the commissioner’s exempt list or suspended and ended up pleading no contest to misdemeanor reckless assault.
Twitter: @chewkiii
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