Would you: Adrian Peterson version

[ivanvamp]

Not gonna happen, but what the heck....

Let's say two things happened:

(1) The NFL reinstated Peterson, making him eligible starting week 13. And
(2) The Vikings released him, wanting to be disassociated from him.

If those two things happened, and he became a free agent, and if he said he would like to play for a contender and he'd be willing to take on a low salary to do so....

Would you want the Patriots to sign him?

From a football standpoint, holy smokes. Add Peterson to this offense.,,,and we're talking 40+ points a game. From a financial standpoint, they could do it.

But from a PR standpoint, I don't know.

What do you guys think?

Because, let's say he didn't come here, that Denver was interested........

 

[mauf]

I would sign him. Not even a close call.

Of course, I see a qualitative difference between what he did and what Ray Rice did, and I realize other people see it differently.

 

[Phil Plantier]

As a coach or GM, you must sign him. But as an owner, it's a more complicated discussion about what the franchise stands for, and/or what long term damage it would do in the community to your brand.

I'm sure some team would, I'm not convinced the Krafts would.

 

[Yaz4Ever]

Bob Kraft would need him to publicly apologize for what he did and lay out a plan to make amends beyond what the court ordered - he could do so at the press conference.  Absolutely sign him.

 

[natejohnson]

Bob Kraft would need him to publicly apologize for what he did and lay out a plan to make amends beyond what the court ordered - he could do so at the press conference.  Absolutely sign him.

I don't think it would be hard to craft a narrative either. For example, "he now understands its up to him to break the cycle of violence, etc"

 

[Phil Plantier]

To expand on my earlier thought, one sane and one crazy reason that Kraft wouldn't do it:

1. So far the franchise has skated on any fallout from Hernandez, but signing a second publicly infamous figure might cause some Hernandez blowback (even though the timelines and circumstances and crimes are different, media doesn't care).

2. Owning a sports franchise is not just an investment, it's a way for rich people to build monument to themselves. A modern pyramid. Kraft already has enough on field success to cement that part of his legacy, why would he mess with the public service part?

 

[Toe Nash]

From a football standpoint, holy smokes. Add Peterson to this offense.,,,and we're talking 40+ points a game. 

Not sure this is a slam dunk. FO's stats have him dropping off in a big way last year and he's 29 with over 2000 carries in his career. Plus, he's only played one game this year. 
 
He'd probably still be good but RBs lose it fast.

 

[Number45forever]

Am I correct in thinking that if the Vikings released him he'd be subject to waivers?  If so, I don't see any chance in hell he gets to the Pats.  Someone will take a chance, AP is a top-2 or top-3 talent at RB and is still in his prime.

 

[Yaz4Ever]

Unlike Ray Rice, I think Peterson can still perform at a very high level.

 

[TheoShmeo]

I would sign him and would hope that Kraft/BB would pursue it.  But as with all things Patriots, we would only see him in NE if the terms fit within the value calculation that BB came up with.  So, yes, at the right price and years.
 
PS: Though perhaps the terms would be, perforce, what his current contract provides.  

 

[ivanvamp]

Am I correct in thinking that if the Vikings released him he'd be subject to waivers?  If so, I don't see any chance in hell he gets to the Pats.  Someone will take a chance, AP is a top-2 or top-3 talent at RB and is still in his prime.

 
Right, I know this isn't really possible.  But again, the point of the thread really isn't whether it's truly feasible, it's whether you personally, if you were in charge of the Patriots, would want to add a player of his talent given the potential headaches that come with it.

 

[tims4wins]

From a football standpoint, holy smokes. Add Peterson to this offense.,,,and we're talking 40+ points a game. From a financial standpoint, they could do it.

 
As opposed to the last 5 games?

 

[Number45forever]

 
Right, I know this isn't really possible.  But again, the point of the thread really isn't whether it's truly feasible, it's whether you personally, if you were in charge of the Patriots, would want to add a player of his talent given the potential headaches that come with it.

Ah, got ya.  And for the record, I absolutely would sign him if the chance presented itself.

 

[ivanvamp]

 
As opposed to the last 5 games?

 
Yes.  I mean 40+ points a game alone, from the offense, with little to no defensive or special teams help.  As in, this offense would be insane.  

 

[Ed Hillel]

I'd take him for this season only (prorated hit of about 5 million), and then I'd cut him in the offseason (base salary of 13, 15, and 17 million respectively over the next 3 seasons). Nobody at the RB position is worth anything near that, not even Adrian Peterson, especially since he'll be 30 next year. I'd much rather spend the money on the pass rush (of course, we've been saying that for years...).

 

[Devizier]

Nope. Don't want to root for him.

 

[Ralphwiggum]

As a fan of the NFL, you have to make peace with the fact that at least a few of the guys on the team probably aren't great human beings.  But there has to be a line and to me Peterson crossed it.  So right now, no, I wouldn't sign him and I'd be disappointed if the Patriots did.  Winning can't trump everything.
 
I believe in second chances, though, and if AP had some time to rehabilitate his image and showed signs that he had learned his lesson and was not likely to be a repeat offender, then I would sign him.  But that time is not now.

 

[Old Fart Tree]

I would. Winning trumps everything.

 

[TheoShmeo]

Yeah, my assumption is that we don't know jack about the vast majority of players.  Sure, Peterson has confirmed that he's a bad guy (or, at the least, has done some really bad things), but I have no doubt that we root for a lot of other bad guys without any awareness of same. 
 
In short, I would also not need there to be any period in which Peterson rehabilitated his image.  In addition to not really caring about his image per se, the fact remains that even if he appeared remorseful and was otherwise less objectionable, in reality it's quite possible that he'd be the same old piece of crap deep down.  Among other things, AP might be a great actor.
 
I'm resigned to rooting for a team of 53 guys because they wear the right laundry and not because I would want much to do with them if I knew what they were about.

 

[Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt]

While I like the idea of that amazing talent added to our offensive mix, particularly given the exact area of need, and while I realize this isn't the question...

Robert Kraft would not sign Adrian Peterson in a million years. Not just the "on the heels of Hernandez" angle. There's just too significant and too powerful a philosophy sewn into the fabric of What This Family Represents, especially when it comes to children, for him to even consider bringing in a guy who is, for now anyway, the face of child abuse by pro athletes, no matter if it's "just a cultural thing" or not. No chance.

That said, I'm poised to snatch him off waivers in my fantasy league. (I hate kids.)*



*Joking. I have one. He's sleeping next to me right now and letting me be on this iPad without complaining about the light.

 

[mcpickl]

Nope.

 

[uncannymanny]

I have no doubt that we root for a lot of other bad guys without any awareness of same. 

 
We were rooting for Hernandez WHILE he was murdering people.

 

[Oppo]

A million times yes. Elite player at a position of weakness.