Adrian Peterson is going to get his carries this fall, but don’t expect to him be on the field every down.
Vikings running backs coach Kirby Wilson told NFL Media that a concerted effort will be made to keep Peterson fresh, and the way to do that is by limiting the number of touches he has each game.
“I think it’s more about snaps per game, because that’s what you have to watch in regard to the wear and tear,” Wilson said. “How he’ll last for the season is the snaps per game, not the carries or attempts per game, because that comes with the territory. He’s going to get his amount of touches that he gets, it’s the other snaps and plays that will determine how successful he is at lasting during the season and being powerful, strong, aggressive and explosive.”
When Peterson takes a play off expect second-year running back Jerick McKinnon play. McKinnon led the Vikings with 4.8 yards per carry as a rookie last season. He finished second on the team in rushing yards (538) to Matt Asiata (570), although Asiata carried the ball 51 more times.
Pro Football Talk notes that the addition of Mike Wallace to the receiving corp, along with more experience for younger players like Cordarrelle Patterson and Charles Johnson, should allow for more running room for Peterson.
The Vikings report to mandatory minicamp next week, June 16-18.
