Adrian Peterson New England Patriots Rumors: Contract Offer For LeGarrette Blount, New Orleans Saints Lurk

Adrian Peterson-New England Patriots rumors may have taken a back seat to a LeGarrette Blount contract offer. While Peterson did have a meeting with the Patriots this week, it is being reported that the team may be more interested in simply re-signing Blount at this point. The New Orleans Saints are also lurking with interest in both running backs, ensuring that the NFL offseason is going to remain exciting right through the draft.

A report by NBC Sports even states that LeGarrette Blount has an offer on the table from the Patriots. It seems that Blount’s side of the negotiations may still be unhappy with the amount of money, the number of years, or the overall structure of the deal. While this is still getting worked on, the front office, primarily led by general manager and head coach Bill Belichick, is still exploring other running back upgrades still available in NFL free agency.

There are also still a number of Adrian Peterson-New Orleans Saints rumors floating around, as the two sides are set up for a negotiation session next week. While a lot of recent Saints news has been dominated by Will Smith’s wife filing a wrongful death lawsuit against Cardell Hayes, the team still has to continue working on improving for the 2017 NFL season. That includes improving the running game.

Putting Peterson in the backfield for quarterback Drew Brees to work with might help the offense a lot, but the questions about his pass-catching abilities are coming up again. If the team is under center a lot, rather than in a shotgun offense where Peterson might not be an asset, it could make him a better fit for the franchise. This may also be why teams like the Seattle Seahawks have passed on the opportunity to sign him.

LeGarrette Blount’s stats during the 2016 NFL season are the main reason why he is starting to get courted by other teams and also why the New England Patriots rumors still mention him frequently. On 299 carries for the Patriots, Blount had 1,161 rushing yards and a league-leading 18 touchdowns on the ground. He was the perfect complement to quarterback Tom Brady, which is a primary reason why the Patriots would like to get him under contract again.

Teams like the Green Bay Packers, Oakland Raiders, and Seattle Seahawks have been mentioned as possible destinations for Blount earlier in NFL free agency, but the Raiders and Seahawks are less likely options now. The Seahawks signed Eddie Lacy and the Raiders are showing an increased interest in Marshawn Lynch. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Lynch is close to coming back from retirement.

As for the Green Bay Packers rumors, the team has been linked to nearly every free agent running back, as quarterback Aaron Rodgers could use another weapon to work with. The name that keeps coming up is Jamaal Charles, as he is still a free agent and may have lowered his asking price due to all the other players still available. The Packers could also pass on all these players and instead focus on getting someone younger in the 2017 NFL Draft.

So where does this leave the Adrian Peterson-New England Patriots rumors? If there really is an offer on the table to retain LeGarrette Blount’s stats, then there may also be a timetable attached to it. Bill Belichick is always looking for bargains, so if Peterson lowers his contract demands, it’s certainly possible he could sign with the Patriots before Blount can do it. That would be a huge splash for the Patriots, possibly making the defending Super Bowl champions the favorite to win yet another title.

While there are still a lot of Richard Sherman-New England Patriots rumors getting talked about by NFL analysts, the team may need to explore more inexpensive options at cornerback before training camp begins. That keeps more money available to put toward the running game, with LeGarrette Blount’s stats from 2016 putting him at the top of the list. The most interesting sub story will remain these Adrian Peterson rumors, with the New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, and even the Minnesota Vikings still lurking if the Patriots decide to pass on the former NFL MVP.

[Featured Image by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images]