Washington Football Team announced on Friday that they are releasing running back Adrian Peterson.
The 35-year-old veteran leaves Washington after two seasons in which he was the team’s leading runner. He combined for 1,940 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns in 2018 and 2019.
Peterson had one year left on the two-year, $8 million contract he signed in 2019.
While Peterson took the majority of the reps with the first team during training camp and impressed new head coach Ron Rivera with his leadership, Washington still decided it was time for the franchise to turn to their younger backs. Since the team also released Derrius Guice earlier in the offseason, rookie Antonio Gibson should take the No. 1 spot on the depth chart.
Gibson, who was Washington’s third-round pick in 2020 out of Memphis, reportedly had a strong showing during training camp and convinced the team that he deserves the opportunity to shoulder the running game. He should be joined by second-year back Bryce Love and offseason acquisition Peyton Barber.
Adrian Peterson, on the other hand, is back on the free market and will most likely to pursue an opportunity elsewhere. On several previous occasions, Peterson said that he doesn’t intend anytime soon and would like to play three or four years more in hopes of passing Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith on the top of the NFL all-time rushing yards list.
