The Dallas Cowboys wouldn't acquire running back Adrian Peterson because they wanted to win one Lombardi Trophy - they'd do it because they wanted to win several.
Before they can worry about winning an NFL Championship though, they've got to concern themselves with getting back to the NFL playoffs for the second season in a row and before they can do that, they've got find some more talent at a few keys positions, namely running back.
With DeMarco Murray off to Philadelphia and Darren McFadden signed as his replacement, what was a postseason-worthy running game in Dallas last year suddenly looks much more ordinary.
Tom Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News appeared on the Dan Patrick Show last week and revealed his belief that the notion of the Cowboys acquiring Peterson is more than just a pipedream; it's a reality Dallas owner Jerry Jones is consistently working towards.
"I think it's beyond wishful thinking now. I think it's a real deal," said Cowlishaw, per DallasNews.com. "I think all these signs point to them trying to make this happen if it can. I don't think you would do all this restructuring and one-year deal on Greg Hardy, which is just a rental, and a one-year deal on Rolando McClain if you're gonna have Darren McFadden running the ball for you next year in this offense. They're all in. Now it's gonna depend on convincing the Vikings and the people with the Vikings who might wanna move on from Peterson. Cause I think Zimmer would like to keep him around, but I'm not sure everybody would like to keep him around, and not at almost $15 million a year."
Peterson is under contract with Minnesota for three more seasons, but has been adamant since his return from an NFL-mandated suspension that he no longer wants to play for the Vikings franchise.
The Cowboys, up against the salary cap limit, recently restructured quarterback Tony Romo's deal, creating $12.8 million in space - Peterson's salary for next season just so happens to be $12.75 million.
Coincidental financial symmetry notwithstanding, the potential for the Cowboys to acquire Peterson rests with the Vikings brass and their willingness to trade the currently disgruntled All-Pro because, as Cowlishaw notes, Dallas views Peterson as a back capable of cruising past the league-leading numbers set by Murray behind the vaunted Cowboys offensive line last season.
"But they think he's better and I think they believe they would have been upset with themselves if they had signed to take DeMarco Murray back, knowing he's bound to decline because they rode him into the ground last year - he had 497 touches if you count the playoffs - when they might have had a shot at Peterson," said Cowlishaw. "So it doesn't matter that he might not be twice as good. It matters that they won one playoff game with DeMarco Murray. Could they win two or three with Peterson? That's what they're hoping for."
There's no doubting that Peterson would be an upgrade over Murray just as there's no doubting that McFadden represents a clear downgrade.
The Cowboys have also been linked to just about every available running back in the 2015 NFL Draft, so it's not as if they're putting all their eggs in the "Acquire Peterson" basket, closing their eyes and praying for the best.
Still, if Cowlishaw is correct, it sure sounds like the Cowboys will be disappointed to enter next season without Peterson as a member of their franchise.
