New Orleans Saints: What Does Adrian Peterson Visit Mean?

Adrian Peterson is visiting the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday, but what exactly does his visit mean

Adrian Peterson is in search of a new team, and NFL.com reported last week that he will visit the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday. Peterson, one of the more formidable forces and running backs in NFL history, is in the latter part of his career at age 32. After being released by the Minnesota Vikings, he's looking for a "win now" situation.

Though the Saints have had their struggles over the last few seasons, not reaching the playoffs since losing to the Seattle Seahawks during the Divisional Round in 2013, they should still be considered contenders in 2017.

With quarterback Drew Brees at the helm and head coach Sean Payton's offensive play calling, the Saints always have a chance at making some noise and fighting for a championship. Adding an agile hard runner such as Peterson to the mix would bring a physicality to an often finesse offense.

The Saints have become very predictable over the years, every team understands they are a high-flying offense making the good defenses prepared to stop the pass. With no running game, it is hard to have longterm success and go deep into the playoffs. Once the passing game is shutdown there is little left in the playbook, this is where Peterson can make a huge impact. His presence will take pressure off the quarter and offensive line allowing for more play action and creating a new challenge for opposing teams.

But the real question comes back to the Saints' status as contenders. Yes, they always have a shot with the Bree-Payton tandem. However, are they the same caliber of other teams that have been connected to Peterson like the Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots? Probably not. So what then does this visit really mean?

There are really two logical conclusions. Either Peterson truly does believe that he is the piece that could put the Saints over the top, or he's widening his options from the elite to the slightly-less-elite teams and offenses in the NFL. It'll be interesting to see which is the case and just how real of a possibility Peterson signing with New Orleans is.