The Arizona Cardinals reportedly are going to release Adrian Peterson, who’s going to be 33 when the 2018 season begins. But that’s not stopping the running back from dreaming big about playing the game for another half-decade or so.
Speaking about his future on Saturday, Peterson said he wants to play another four or five years.
Adrian Peterson: “At the end of the day, I know I can play. If you watch football, as far as being an evaluator of talent, if a guy has something left in the tank… he was able to see (I) can still play the game. … I would want to play maybe 4 more years, 4 to 5 more years.’’
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) February 3, 2018
Peterson said he hasn’t yet heard from the Cardinals about being released but thanked the team if that is indeed the case.
Looking back on Peterson’s age-32 season, it’s clear he still has some gas left in the tank. But it sure seems like the tank is dangerously close to running dry.
He had a couple of big games during his tenure with the Cardinals, going for well over 100 yards twice in a three-game stretch. However, overall he struggled to break off the signature big runs that have defined his career. Peterson finished the 2017 season averaging 3.4 yards per carry and scored just two touchdowns.
If he does intend on playing into his mid-to-late 30s, then Peterson needs to get used to the idea that he’s just not a featured back any longer. Which, if we’re being honest is kind of a problem considering he has hands of stone and is almost useless in the passing game. If he does continue playing, he’ll likely be relegated to being a third-down, short-yardage specialist.