Much has been said about how Ron Rivera and the Washington Redskins need a special leader like Greg Olsen.
But it glosses over Adrian Peterson.
Rivera and Co. made a point to keep the veteran back around despite plenty of opportunities to add younger guys in free agency or the draft.
For a reason.
“I think it’s going to resonate with our younger players and they’re going to see that this is how you do it,” Rivera said, according to Redskins.com’s Zach Selby.
Here’s vice president of player personnel Kyle Smith:
“Every practice is a game for him. It’s so important to him, he’s made of the right stuff, and [he’s] just a consummate pro every time he walks through that building. Having Adrian Peterson around makes the Redskins better.”
There is always a chance Peterson, soon to be 35, will see a reduced role next year, especially if Derrius Guice can stay healthy.
But that won’t matter much in the grand scheme — the plan for Peterson set out by the most important planners in the organization goes far beyond his personal on-field contributions.
