Adrian Peterson will thrive with New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints have a crowded backfield, but it’s a situation that Adrian Peterson can, and probably will, thrive in…

Throughout the past three seasons in Minnesota, Adrian Peterson has had some tough luck with his ability to stay healthy and his overall production. That said, the veteran running back looks ready to make a significant impact on his new team, the New Orleans Saints.

On paper, the signing of Peterson doesn’t make a ton of sense. The Saints have a back capable of handling a full workload in Mark Ingram, and they also drafted Tennessee’s Alvin Kamara, another player capable of playing a dual-threat role as a runner and receiver.

Peterson has thrived in his NFL career with the quarterback taking snaps under center, and hasn’t really proven much in a shotgun/spread type of offense.

That makes the fit with New Orleans seem a bit odd on the surface, but the main reason I think Peterson is set up for big time success in New Orleans?

Well, there are actually a couple of reasons.

First of all, Peterson looks healthy.

Health is the most critical factor for Peterson, who played in just four games total between the 2014 and 2016 seasons.

In 2015, Peterson played a full slate of games, averaging 4.5 yards per carry and rushing for 1,485 yards and 11 touchdowns, proving he is still capable of handling a full load when called upon.

If Peterson is back to his 2015 self, how are the Saints going to keep this guy off the field?

The biggest reason I feel like Peterson will thrive in New Orleans?

He’s not going to be seeing many stacked boxes from opposing defenses.

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Teams have to respect the Saints’ ability to spread the ball around and throw basically at will. That will prevent those teams from loading up against the running game like they did for so many years while Peterson was with the Vikings.

If Peterson put together a Hall of Fame career facing loaded boxes, what is he going to be able to do when opposing teams have to respect the pass on every play?

That is a scary thought.

Peterson is one guy who seems to be able to defy the age decline because of the fact that he is over the age of 30, but looks like he’s still 26 or 27 years old physically.

Given the dropoff in running backs past the age of 30, Peterson is going to have to buck some historical trends. If anyone is capable of doing it, though, it’s him.