Adrian Peterson, running back, Minnesota Vikings
With just 20 games under his belt since the end of the 2013 season, Peterson isn’t going to be a highly-coveted free agent. He’s on the wrong side of 30, missed all but three games to injury last season and seems to have a higher opinion of himself than his market will dictate.
In no way does this mean Peterson won’t catch on as a starter. Remember, he led the NFL in rush attempts, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns back in 2015. Sure recency bias tells us a different story, but there appears to be some tread left on these tires. Linked to everyone from Dallas to New England, we’re expecting Peterson to target a team that has the ability to contend for the Lombardi in 2017.
That brings us to the Oakland Raiders, who were one of the first teams linked to Peterson after Minnesota declined his option for the 2017 season. Latavius Murray is likely set to walk in free agency, leaving Oakland with a gaping hole at running back. Just imagine a rejuvenated Peterson teaming up with Derek Carr, Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree on Oakland’s offense. Man, that would be a sight to behold.
Prediction: Oakland Raiders