After a much-needed bye week for Adrian Peterson and the NFC East-leading Washington Redskins, Peterson has made his way back onto the practice field Thursday. He has been sidelined with an ankle injury and has not practiced up to this point. It couldn’t be more encouraging to see him back in action.
The Washington Redskins play on Monday night, giving AD more time to strengthen the ankle and get it ready for when they face one of his former teams, the New Orleans Saints. Peterson went into the bye week after putting up 120 yards on 19 carries for two touchdowns against the Green Bay Packers.
Adrian Peterson back on practice field https://t.co/XssODTmB1x
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 4, 2018
The 33-year-old may be a concern for a potential playoff run for Washington. After three games, the running back already has a concerning injury and will most likely be given fewer touches until he feels 100 percent. Peterson has had a surprisingly solid season in Washington so far, however, posting 56 carries for 236 yards and three scores, adding five catches for 100 yards.
"I'm confident. I'll be ready to roll."@AdrianPeterson says he'll be in the lineup for #WASvsNO. Hear more from AD's media scrum Monday: https://t.co/D2gEEdFaVU pic.twitter.com/ZtZ0ldVjbo
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) October 1, 2018
If he kept this pace up for 16 games, he would undoubtedly be a Pro Bowl selection. The odds of having that kind of consistency are admittedly low, but only because of his age and mounting injury history. His backup, Chris Thompson, has also been a great piece for this Washington offense. He has 15 carries for 83 yards, averaging 5.5 yards per carry, plus another 155 yards through the air His presence means there’s no reason to pressure Peterson into taking on a full load too early.
This offense has been underrated all season, but with a healthy Peterson and a versatile Thompson, this offense can continue to make noise in the NFC.
