Adrian Peterson is looking for a new job, but hasn't found any takers as of yet. Sounds like the biggest obstacle is his contract demands; he reportedly wants to be paid like an elite back. But he's 32 years old, at a position where teams are increasingly content to get by with lesser, cheaper players.
So between his age and his contract demands, Peterson will probably to have to wait until at least after the draft (and probably training camp) to find work. He also missed most of last season due to injury, and he's one of the league's more fumble-prone backs. All that will force him to lower his price before he gets signed.
Over the last two seasons, 57 running backs have touched the ball at least 200 times. Only two have more fumbles than Peterson (and one of those players has touched the ball a lot more). The five backs who have a higher rate of fumbling in that span include a player who was benched, one who doesn't have a job at present, and three committee backs.
| RUNNING BACK FUMBLES, 2015-2016 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Touch | Fum | Pct |
| Alfred Morris, Wa.-Dal. | 285 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Jerick McKinnon, Minn. | 276 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Tim Hightower, N.O. | 266 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Danny Woodhead, S.D. | 203 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Charcandrick West, K.C. | 296 | 1 | 0.34% |
| Thomas Rawls, Sea. | 278 | 1 | 0.36% |
| Theo Riddick, Det. | 268 | 1 | 0.37% |
| Isaiah Crowell, Clev. | 442 | 2 | 0.45% |
| Matt Asiata, Minn. | 202 | 1 | 0.50% |
| T.J. Yeldon, Jac. | 398 | 2 | 0.50% |
| Lamar Miller, Mia-Hou | 540 | 3 | 0.56% |
| Darren Sproles, Phil. | 341 | 2 | 0.59% |
| Matt Forte, Chi-NYJ | 510 | 3 | 0.59% |
| Giovani Bernard, Cin. | 334 | 2 | 0.60% |
| Jeremy Hill, Cin. | 481 | 3 | 0.62% |
| LeGarrette Blount, N.E. | 477 | 3 | 0.63% |
| Devonta Freeman, Atl. | 619 | 4 | 0.65% |
| C.J. Anderson, Den. | 303 | 2 | 0.66% |
| Rashad Jennings, NYG | 440 | 3 | 0.68% |
| Justin Forsett, 3 tms | 289 | 2 | 0.69% |
| Jordan Howard, Chi. | 281 | 2 | 0.71% |
| Jeremy Langford, Chi. | 251 | 2 | 0.80% |
| LeVeon Bell, Pitt. | 473 | 4 | 0.85% |
| Mark Ingram, N.O. | 467 | 4 | 0.86% |
| DeMarco Murray, Phi-Ten | 583 | 5 | 0.86% |
| Christine Michael, 3 tms | 230 | 2 | 0.87% |
| Todd Gurley, Rams | 571 | 5 | 0.88% |
| Chris Johnson, Ariz. | 227 | 2 | 0.88% |
| Shaun Draughn, 2 tms | 213 | 2 | 0.94% |
| LeSean McCoy, Buff. | 519 | 5 | 0.96% |
| Darren McFadden, Dall. | 308 | 3 | 0.97% |
| Bilal Powell, NYJ | 307 | 3 | 0.98% |
| Frank Gore, Ind. | 595 | 6 | 1.01% |
| Ronnie Hillman, 2 tms | 279 | 3 | 1.08% |
| Latavius Murray, Oak. | 535 | 6 | 1.12% |
| DeAngelo Williams, Pitt. | 356 | 4 | 1.12% |
| Jay Ajayi, Mia. | 345 | 4 | 1.16% |
| Spencer Ware, K.C. | 326 | 4 | 1.23% |
| Jonathan Stewart, Car. | 484 | 6 | 1.24% |
| Doug Martin, T.B. | 479 | 6 | 1.25% |
| Charles Sims, T.B. | 233 | 3 | 1.29% |
| Alfred Blue, Hou. | 310 | 4 | 1.29% |
| Terrance West, Ten-Bal | 293 | 4 | 1.37% |
| Ezekiel Elliott, Dall. | 354 | 5 | 1.41% |
| Eddie Lacy, G.B. | 282 | 4 | 1.42% |
| Melvin Gordon, S.D. | 512 | 8 | 1.56% |
| David Johnson, Ariz. | 556 | 9 | 1.62% |
| Carlos Hyde, S.F. | 370 | 6 | 1.62% |
| Tevin Coleman, Atl. | 238 | 4 | 1.68% |
| Chris Thompson, Wash. | 207 | 4 | 1.93% |
| Devontae Booker, Den. | 205 | 4 | 1.95% |
| Adrian Peterson, Minn. | 397 | 8 | 2.02% |
| Ryan Mathews, Phil. | 295 | 6 | 2.03% |
| Chris Ivory, NYJ-Jac. | 414 | 9 | 2.17% |
| Ameer Abdullah, Det. | 228 | 5 | 2.19% |
| James Starks, G.B. | 273 | 6 | 2.20% |
| Matt Jones, Wash. | 270 | 8 | 2.96% |
--Andy Richardson