Adrian Peterson Signs 2-Year Contract with Saints After Leaving Vikings

Adrian Peterson will kick off the next stage of his career with the New Orleans Saints after signing a two-year contract with the organization Tuesday.

The Saints confirmed the contract after ESPN.com's Josina Anderson broke the news and provided a statement from Peterson, along with more financial details: "I am excited to be joining the New Orleans Saints. I'm really looking forward to this opportunity. Most importantly, I chose this team because it just felt right within my spirit. Additionally, my wife and family added their confirmation with the same feelings."

He continued: "On offense, it goes without saying that the Saints are really solid behind Drew Brees. I feel like my skill set can make them even more dominant as a unit. They have a great offensive line, which is something that stood out to me as well. I could tell from talking to head coach Sean Payton over the last two weeks that he did his due diligence in evaluating how I could contribute."

And: "I also did a lot of homework on the defense as well. While I know that injuries have played a role in performance, I also see areas of potential with a lot of younger guys having the ability to step up. Lastly, it goes without saying that the Saints have an amazing fanbase, and I look forward to making them proud and creating everlasting memories."

Peterson has been one of the top running backs in the NFL through most of his 10 years with the Minnesota Vikings, earning seven Pro Bowl appearances, four first-team All-Pro lists, three rushing titles and an MVP Award.

The challenge for him will be to continue posting big numbers while entering next season at 32 years old.

Not only did Peterson miss all but three games in 2016 due to a torn meniscus, but he also struggled when on the field. He was limited to just 72 rushing yards and zero touchdowns at 1.9 yards per carry. It wasn't a surprise when the Vikings declined his $18 million option for the upcoming season.

"He's done. Burst is gone," a general manager told Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman. "He's serviceable now. That's the best a team could hope for."

This potentially kept him on the free-agent market for an extended period despite getting attention from numerous squads. On the other hand, Peterson explained on his Twitter account in March he was in "no rush" to find a team and was looking for "the best fit."

While he is only one year removed from leading the NFL in both rushing yards and touchdowns, that seems like a distant memory.

He doesn't need to be a star with Mark Ingram capable of taking significant carries. On the other hand, Ingram struggled with consistency in 2016, and the Saints no longer have a safety net in Tim Hightower.

Adding Peterson provides an upgrade on the ground and some useful balance in the offense. And after three straight 7-9 seasons, New Orleans needed to make some moves with Brees in the twilight of his career.

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