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Adrian Peterson put on injured reserve, what's next for legendary RB?

There wasn’t much of a market for Adrian Peterson for about the first two months of free agency this past offseason. He landed with the New Orleans Saints, and was quickly third on the team’s depth chart.

Peterson’s season is over, and it’s tough to figure out what happens next. ESPN’s Adam Schefter said the Arizona Cardinals will put Peterson on injured reserve with a neck injury.

After a trade to the Cardinals, Peterson had a few bright moments. In his first game with the Cardinals he had 134 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a 159-yard game against San Francisco, when the Cardinals gave him 37 carries. It’s usually not the best move to give a 32-year-old back 37 carries in a game, and Peterson struggled after that. Eventually he couldn’t play due to the neck injury.

Peterson has a two-year contract, but the Cardinals could decide to cut him next offseason. Part of the reason they acquired Peterson is that David Johnson was injured, and Johnson will be back next season. If Peterson is done with the Cardinals, there wouldn’t be a huge market for him after he averaged 3.4 yards per carry this season and wasn’t happy in New Orleans as a backup, which he would presumably be for any team that signed him in 2018. Peterson is one of the greatest backs ever, including a 2,000-yard season and an MVP award with the Minnesota Vikings, but nobody can hold off retirement forever, especially at running back.

It’s possible the Cardinals hold onto Peterson, or another team signs him. It’s also possible Peterson’s incredible, Hall of Fame career will quietly end after a final season wearing two foreign uniforms.

Arizona Cardinals running back Adrian Peterson will be put on injured reserve. (AP)
Arizona Cardinals running back Adrian Peterson will be put on injured reserve. (AP)

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Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!