Hello again everyone and welcome to another week of the ArrowChop! This is the column where we look at the positives/negatives of a certain Chiefs/NFL issue and look at both sides of the aisle. Then you, the readers, will come to your conclusions after I lay out the case. So sit back, relax, and enjoy as we breakdown this week’s hot topic.
The NFL season is almost upon us as teams have made their final cuts and their final additions before heading into Week 1. One of these additions was made by the Detroit Lions as they signed future H.O.F running back Adrian Peterson to a one-year deal that is worth up $2.3 million.
This was an amazing signing for Detriot as they have a bulk-load of young running backs, like Kerryon Johnson and D’Andre Swift, ready to learn from one the best to play the game. The Chiefs were in the same boat as they have a young group of RBs as well that consist of Clyde-Edwards Helaire, Darwin Thompson, and Darrel Williams.
With looking at the contract and the main cause as to why Peterson was signed, should the Chiefs have added Adrian Peterson to the roster when they had the chance? Let’s look through both sides of the case to come up with the best solution.
The Chiefs should’ve signed Peterson
The main focus of this is the fact that Peterson would be the ideal mentor for all of these backs. Just imagine the intricacies of the running back spot Peterson could’ve taught that core and that could’ve made them better than they already are. He would’ve been able to guide all three of the backs I listed beforehand to the promised land of being one of the best RB groups in the league.
Let’s also not forget that along with Peterson’s guidance, his addition would’ve made that core significantly better. Peterson still has a lot left in the tank as in 2018 he rushed for 1042 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 4.2 yards per attempted run, and let’s add his 2019 season where he rushed for about 900 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 4.3 yards per attempted run.
He also fumbled the ball only three times in each of his last two seasons, which one of the lowest fumble numbers a running back has had in that span. This shows that he still has much in the tank and it makes me wonder what a Peterson and Mahomes duo would look like for a season.
Another point that falls under this is the fact that we could’ve signed a prolific player like him for cheap. As I said earlier in my piece, the Lions were able to sign him for only $2.3 million, which is a huge bargain for a running back like him. The Chiefs still have over $13 million in cap space, so if they threw in around a $2.6 or $3 million deal it wouldn’t affect them in any way.
The Chiefs shouldn’t have signed Peterson
This side of the case falls under the fact that Peterson would’ve been a waste of a roster spot that might’ve been needed for the season opener. According to offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, he felt as though that “the Thursday night game was too tough of a turnaround to seriously consider.” This is mainly due to the fact that due to the COVID guidelines, all new signers must go through three days of screening before they are allowed to step onto the field.
This meant that Peterson wouldn’t be playing in Week 1 in the first place even after he passed all of the tests. He wouldn’t be used to the playbook, how the offense is run, and so on. In the end, it’d be a waste of a spot that another position possibly could’ve used.
Another argument for this side is that the Chiefs are set at the running back spot. With Helaire, Thompson, and Williams, it seems as though that another running back would be a waste of space. While Peterson is still spectacular at what he does, some believe that he wouldn’t fit with what the Chiefs were doing with their offense.
In closing, that’s the case for if the Chiefs should’ve signed Peterson when they had the chance to do so. What are your thoughts on this situation? Leave a comment down below to join the discussion.
Thanks for reading and have an awesome day!
