If there's one truth to be held self-evident this offseason, it's that the Detroit Lions need to upgrade their running game.
And while Tuesday's news that a future Hall of Fame running back will become a free agent next week is appealing, the Lions should _ and will, I think _ tread lightly when it comes to pursuing Adrian Peterson.
Peterson is the best running back of this generation, a lock for Canton five years after he retires, and a back that, despite missing most of last season with a knee injury, still has something to offer on the field.
But at the price it will cost to entice Peterson to leave Minnesota _ ESPN reported that the Vikings, who announced Tuesday that they're declining Peterson's 2017 contract option, still could offer a deal worth $6 million per year, plus incentives _ the Lions are better off turning their attention elsewhere.
Peterson is a known Lions killer, averaging 106.4 yards per game against Detroit in his career. But he's also a few weeks shy of his 32nd birthday and nowhere near the dynamic playmaker he used to be.
In the past three seasons, Peterson has played a grand total of 20 games because of injuries and off-field problems. Last year, before the Vikings' season crumbled under the weight of an injury-riddled offensive line, Peterson ran for just 50 yards on 31 carries in his first two games.
The Lions need a big back, like NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said, someone they can hand the ball to with the game on the line in the fourth quarter.
But more than that, they need a reliable presence in their backfield, someone for whom they know defenses will have to plan all 16 weeks.
Peterson, as good as he has been, is not that anymore.
The Lions are better off trying to find a workhorse in the draft or, if that fails, a complementary piece to split time with Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick. They need someone to take the pressure off of quarterback Matthew Stafford, who has another couple of seasons in the prime of his career. And in a draft deep at running back, they should be able to find a long-term solution.
If Peterson were looking for an Anquan Boldin-type deal, with little guaranteed money and incentives that could push him into the $3 million range, he'd be a gamble worth taking for this Lions team. But at potentially double that cost or more, the Lions are better off looking elsewhere.
