The Cleveland Browns don't have a whole lot of offensive playmakers on the roster right now. Wide receiver Josh Gordon is an afterthought at this point and the quarterback situation is grim at best. The Browns will rely on a heavy run game in 2015 not necessarily because they want to but because they have to.
So why not test the waters of a potential Adrian Peterson trade?
It's possible that Cleveland does not want to deal with the public backlash they would face after Peterson reached a plea deal in his child-abuse case. But if the Browns were willing to look past that and believed that Peterson was not a criminal, the fit actually makes a lot of sense.
Sure, Peterson is 30-years-old and is set to earn $12.75 million next year. But the Browns are one of the few teams left in the league that can absorb that type of contract.
"For the Browns, that number isn't backbreaking," ESPN Browns reporter Jeremy Fowler wrote. "In fact, that number can be reworked. Everything can be reworked with flimsy NFL contracts. The team still has $30.96 million in cap space after finishing a series of short-term deals for aging starters. The Browns could cut a deal that provides flexibility after two years.
"Giving up, say, a second-rounder for a Peterson trade wouldn't cripple the franchise. The Browns have 10 picks this year, including six in the top 115."
Young running backs Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West impressed coaches last year but they aren't sure-fire slam-dunks. Cleveland's running game practically evaporated after center Alex Mack went down with an injury and neither Crowell nor West could do much about it. They would, however, excel in complimentary roles to Peterson.
There are several roadblocks that make this deal highly unlikely. Peterson's age is a major concern and his willingness to go to Cleveland is a big unknown. Plus, the Vikings have already said that they aren't trading the former MVP. But as the season draws closer and both sides start feeling the pressure, it's not crazy to think that a deal between the Browns and Vikings could materialize.
How would you like that, Johnny Manziel?
