Thinking it’s time for the LA Rams to add a veteran running back

AP is still available

Veteran running back Adrian Peterson is not getting any phone calls, so it’s not just the LA Rams who have looked elsewhere. But he is a veteran free agent, he is available now, he is 6-foot-1 and weighs 220-pounds, and he played last year in the same backfield as quarterback Matthew Stafford.  So he has worked with the LA Rams current quarterback.

I’m not about to tell you that a veteran running back of 15 seasons has plenty of gas left in his tank. He probably doesn’t. But what he does have is a fresh set of NFL capable legs, familiarity with the guy who needs to be protected from blitzing defenders, and a robust history of running and catching the ball in the NFL.

Since parting ways with the Minnesota Vikings in 2016, Peterson did have a 1000+ yard season running for the Washington Football team in 2018, and followed up with 898 yards in 2019 under then Washington offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell. Yes, the same O’Connell who is the LA Rams offensive coordinator.

There are not many ‘blue chip’ options available right now. But of the options currently available, it doesn’t require an deep dive to see the links between Peterson and the LA Rams. But has the Rams organization gotten desperate enough to bring him in to kick the tires? Perhaps not. And that is odd, in that the team has an offensive coordinator and quarterback who have both worked with him in the past three seasons.