Not only did the Vikings elect not to pick up Adrian Peterson's contract option for 2017, but the Chiefs also parted ways Jamaal Charles. Now, two runners that have a combined 19,007 rushing yards, 165 touchdowns, and 11 Pro Bowls are available to the highest bidder.
The problem is both players have now eclipsed the dreaded age of 30, and both have a lengthy history of injury. Both players would be an upgrade over anything the Jaguars can currently deploy, but can either one stay healthy for a full season or two? Recent history would suggest the answer is no. Adrian Peterson has missed 27 of a possible 48 games over the last three seasons, while Charles has played only eight out of 32 games over the past two years. In terms of play style, it's not yet clear what type of offensive system the Jaguars will run, but all signs point to Tom Coughlin, Doug Marrone, and Co. wanting to be a physical team. That would certainly lend itself more towards Adrian Peterson's skill set than Jamaal Charles'. But perhaps the Jaguars covet the speed, versatility, and big play ability of a player like Jamaal Charles. The comparison is not too dissimilar to the comparison between the two running backs at the top of the draft, Leonard Fournette and Dalvik Cook. Fournette being the prototype combination of size and speed, with Cook being the ultimate utility weapon on the offensive side of the ball. Should Tom Coughlin and the rest of the Jaguars Brass pursue either Peterson or Charles? No. Running backs that can't stay healthy and are over the age of 30 are a big time no, no, especially for a team that has plenty of other holes to fill. And even if the Jaguars were interested in either back there is no guarantee that the interest would be mutual. Neither player has won a Super Bowl yet and both have made a nice chunk of change in their respective careers. This leads me to believe that both will be in search of a true contender to play for - something the Jaguars certainly are not. Plus, have you seen the crop of talent at the running back position in this years draft class? Beyond Fournette and Cook there is a slew of impressive talent including Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, Kareem Hunt, and many more.
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