Rapid Reaction: Cardinals get Adrian Peterson from Saints
Oct 10, 2017, 11:09 AM | Updated: 11:31 am
FILE - In this Aug. 10, 2017, file photo, file photo, New Orleans Saints running back Adrian Peterson stands on the sideline during warm ups before an NFL preseason football game against the Cleveland Browns, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane, File)
(AP Photo/Ron Schwane, File)
The Arizona Cardinals are last in the NFL in yards per carry. On Tuesday, they gave their best effort to address that.
Per ESPN, the Cardinals traded for running back Adrian Peterson.
Here’s some quick reaction to the trade from the staff of 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station and ArizonaSports.com.
Dave Burns, co-host of Burns & Gambo
The first thing I thought of was BA’s comments Monday with Bickley and Marotta when he said he didn’t think David Johnson could run well behind this offensive line.
If Johnson can’t, Adrian Peterson is supposed to?
After a decade worth of regret, Steve Keim finally gets his guy. At this point, it has the feel of a personnel Hail Mary. A last ditch effort to pump some life into a run game that has to perform better.
I admire the effort and the willingness to try and expect it will improve the run game somewhat. Hard to imagine it getting worse. But until the Cards solve their offensive line woes, or somehow invent a time machine to compliment AP, it’s won’t fix what’s truly broken.
Vince Marotta, co-host of Bickley & Marotta
After trading for Adrian Peterson, the Cardinals now have two of the seven men who have rushed for 2,000 yards in a single season.
And hey, O.J. is free, so why not bring him in too? OK, I’m kidding.
I like the fact that Steve Keim and his staff aren’t sitting idly by and watching the 2017 season and the Cardinals so-called “championship window” disintegrate into nothing, but honestly, how does this move help?
Bruce Arians flatly said on our show Monday that even a healthy David Johnson wouldn’t improve the Cardinals’ running game that much right now because of the condition and ability of the offensive line. AP was a great back, but his mere presence won’t magically open up holes to run through — it hasn’t in Minnesota and in four games with New Orleans this year.
He’s averaging 2.4 yards over his last 64 attempts.
Doug Franz, co-host of Doug & Wolf
What was my first thought when I read Dianna Russini’s tweet?
I can’t wait to see Wolf’s reaction because the 2007 NFL draft was our first draft as a show and I remember how bad he wanted Peterson then and he’s never let it go.
My overall reaction?
How is trading for AP a bad thing?
1. No one is saying Arizona traded for the 2012 Adrian Peterson. No one is saying Peterson is the missing piece to an Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl run.
It’s so much simpler: ADRIAN PETERSON AT 32 YEARS OLD IS BETTER THAN EVERY OTHER CARDS RUNNING BACK.
The Cardinals are 32nd in rushing per game. The Cardinals aren’t in last by a yard or two. Miami is in 31st place and they average 23 more rushing yards per game than Arizona.
2. The Cardinals are 32nd in red zone offense. Even if you don’t think he has much left in the tank, every defense will be on point to stop him close to the goal line. The Dolphins are the only NFL team with fewer rushing touchdowns than Arizona.
What does that say? Defenses don’t respect anything relating to the Cards run game, especially close to the goal line. Getting the linebackers to even think about biting on play action means points!
3. If you think there could be chemistry issues since Peterson had issues in New Orleans, I don’t think you’re seeing the big picture. The Saints were only using him as a decoy. The Cardinals actually need him. This alone will keep him happy.
He’s also friends with Larry Fitzgerald. If Larry tells him to get with the program, it will get done.
4. It’s a conditional late-round pick. If it doesn’t work, you cut him and you gave up (possibly, as there’s no official word) a seventh-round pick. Only if Peterson hits certain performance goals would the Saints start to get any real value from Arizona.
Who cares if Arizona does pay a high price for a conditional pick, because the only way that occurs is if Arizona is getting a high reward from AP.
The Cardinals get everything positive from this if anything positive happens, and they walk away from it if it doesn’t.
Of course, you can get more reaction from Doug and Wolf starting at 6 a.m. each weekday morning and continuing with The Blitz with Bertrand Berry & Mike Jurecki from 10 a.m. to noon. Bickley & Marotta pick it up for the second half of the day before Burns & Gambo drive you home from 2-6 p.m.
