NFC Notes: Adrian Peterson, Cowboys, Eagles, Redskins

Adrian Peterson

Saints HC Sean Payton said Wednesday that their decision to trade veteran RB Adrian Peterson to the Cardinals was “just using common sense” and he referred to the deal as a “win-win” for the two teams and Peterson.

“[W]e had a chance to get a draft pick next year,” Payton said, via ESPN.com. “I know Arizona was short at this position. And there’s a confidence level we have with how Mark (Ingram) and how Alvin are playing.

“But, look, in my discussions yesterday with (Cardinals general manager) Steve Keim, it was like, ‘Hey, this guy still has it. And here’s what he does well and we’ve seen it. It’s just a little crowded right now with the third back.’”

Payton did say that had they known they would be able to get RB Alvin Kamara where they did and he would be as good as he’s been for them, it would have impacted their decision to sign Peterson.

“Well, listen, had I known I could draft Kamara and Kamara was gonna be good as a runner and as a receiver … all of those things are fantasy,” Payton said. “Obviously you want depth at that position, and we feel like we still have that. So we kind of go from there. But Adrian’s been fantastic through the process.”

“Adrian and I have talked a ton each week, we’ll spend time just up here in the office just talking about our system, different things, his role. And our relationship, I would say, has been fantastic. And it was an opportunity really where he was gonna obviously get somewhere and be featured more. And I’m happy that that opportunity’s come up and we were able to make a trade,” Payton said.

Peterson told reporters on Wednesday that “I have so much left. I look to play four or five more years,” Peterson said, via Darren Urban of the team’s website.

Cowboys

• Amanda Guerra reports that Cowboys LB Damien Wilson has been cleared of aggravated assault charges stemming from an incident on July 4.
• Wilson allegedly was looking for a place to park his car at Toyota Stadium and noticed that a group of tailgaters was taking up several parking spaces. He asked if he could park there and an argument broke out. Wilson decided to back his truck into a spot and allegedly hit a woman before pulling a gun at some point.

Eagles

• The Philadelphia Eagles officially ruled out RT Lane Johnson (concussion) for Thursday’s game against the Panthers.
• The Eagles also listed DT Fletcher Cox (calf) and RB Wendell Smallwood (knee) as questionable for Week 6

Redskins

• Mike Lombardi of TheRinger tosses out the Redskins as a team to watch as a potential landing spot for Bengals QB Andy Dalton next year.
• Lombardi expects Washington to lose Kirk Cousins in free agency and Dalton could make sense for them considering that he spent time with Redskins HC Jay Gruden in Cincinnati.
• Former Redskins OC and current 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan said that their goal during the 2013 NFL Draft was draft Robert Griffin III at No. 2 overall and then grab Russell Wilson in Round 4. Of course, the Seahawks drafted Wilson in the third-round, which led to the Redskins taking Cousins. (Peter Schrager)