Adrian Peterson on Backup Role with Saints: ‘It’s Different’

Adrian Peterson admits that being a backup running back with his new team, the New Orleans Saints, is taking some adjustment.

That’s understandable, given that Peterson established himself as one of the NFL’s best player at his position the past 10 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.

‘I catch myself at times running in there every time with the ones’

“It’s different,” Peterson told Bruce Murray and Lance Moore during the SiriusXM NFL Radio camp tour stop at the Saints’ camp. “I catch myself at times running in there every time with the ones. But I knew, coming off the injury in Week One (last season) and going into the offseason, it was a totally different feel for it.

“So I knew I had a lot to prove, but coming in here, it was a little different. It was like, making sure I’m healthy, coming here and get this new offense, lock it in, and then work my way up.”

‘When I came here, (Mark Ingram) welcomed me with open arms’

Peterson said he is developing a “consistent” relationship with starting running back Mark Ingram.

“Of course, over time, you get close and you know a guy more as well, but when I came here, he welcomed me with open arms, (saying), ‘Hey, if you need anything, even outside of football, here’s my number, call me,'” Peterson said. “We’ve just been kind of learning from one another. If there’s something that I don’t know within this offense, since he’s been around a long time, I’m giving him a bump, ‘Hey, what (have) I got on this?’ Or, ‘Explain this to me.’ Or things that I’ll see, now that I’m digesting the offense, I give him pointers as well.”

‘Five more years would be nice’

How much longer does Peterson, who is 32, want to play?

“Five more years would be nice,” he said. “Win a couple of Super Bowls in the midst of that.”