Veteran RBs Drawing Limited Interest Including Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles & Latavius Murray

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that a number of notable running backs are drawing limited interest at the Combine including Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles and Latavius Murray.

According to Florio, Peterson “isn’t generating significant dollars” in the conversations that have taken place at the Combine and unless things change in the coming weeks. In fact, Florio believes Peterson’s best option could be to wait for an injury at running back. The benefit to this is that Peterson could skip the offseason program and possibly part of traninig camp.

However, if the offers remain limited, Florio says that Peterson may have to ask whether it’s even worth playing for such a low salary.

As for Charles and Murray, Florio mentions that they aren’t garnering significant interest in Indianapolis either.

While the Steelers used their franchise tag on Le’Veon Bell, which will pay him over $12 million fully guaranteed for the 2017 season, Florio says that this year’s free agent running backs will be “hard pressed” to get half of that while others may have to accept around a third of Bell’s salary.

The free agent market is deep with notable running backs such as DeAngelo Williams, LeGarrette Blount, Eddie Lacy, Rashad Jennings, Danny Woodhead and Chris Johnson among others, but Florio expects a number of these players to have to accept a minimum-level deal while others won’t get any offers.

Peterson, 31, is a former first-round pick of the Vikings back in 2007. He was entering the final year of his three-year, $44 million contract that included $20 million guaranteed and was set to make a base salary of $11.75 million to go along with a $6 million roster bonus due on March 11.

In 2016, Peterson has rushed for 72 yards on 37 carries (1.9 YPC) to go along with three receptions for eight yards receiving and no touchdowns over the course of three games.

Murray, 26, is a former sixth-round pick of the Raiders back in 2013. He played out the final year of his four-year, $2.266 million rookie contract and is now in line to be one of the best available running backs in next year’s free agent class.

In 2016, Murray has rushed for 788 yards on 195 carries (4 YPC) to go along with 12 rushing touchdowns and 33 receptions for 264 yards receiving. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 21 running back out of 61 qualifying players.o

We have all of them featured in our Top 100 – 2017 Free Agents list.