New Orleans moved Adrian Peterson after four games in a…
New Orleans moved Adrian Peterson after four games in a crowded backfield and received a conditional 2018 sixth-round pick that became No. 189, used on Kamrin Moore. Arizona needed a runner after David Johnson's injury and got six starts, 448 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Peterson. The Cardinals received the more useful direct return, although the short stay keeps the margin modest.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- player Adrian Peterson
New Orleans Saints Received
- pick 2018 6th round pick (189th overall, Kamrin Moore)
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
New Orleans traded Adrian Peterson to Arizona in October 2017 for a conditional 2018 sixth-round pick. The move ended an awkward four-game Saints fit in which Peterson shared work with Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara. Arizona had lost David Johnson and needed immediate backfield help. The condition was met, the pick landed at No. 189, and New Orleans later selected defensive back Kamrin Moore.
Why Arizona Has the Edge
Peterson delivered exactly the short-term function Arizona wanted. He stepped into a featured role, started six games and rushed for 448 yards with two touchdowns. His efficiency was uneven and the Cardinals did not transform their season, but they bought credible veteran volume for a late choice. The Saints' football benefit was partly addition by subtraction because Ingram and Kamara had clearer roles after Peterson left, yet that roster effect was not the same as extracting major value from the acquired pick.
How the Return Aged
Moore did not become a meaningful Saints player, so the sixth-round return never produced a long-term counterweight to Peterson's Arizona production. That prevents New Orleans from claiming the stronger side on realized assets. Still, the Saints deserve credit for moving a poor schematic and workload fit rather than forcing the arrangement, and Arizona received only a six-game burst rather than a multi-year solution.
Final Verdict
Arizona earns a B- and New Orleans a C+. The Cardinals paid a small price and received useful emergency production from a future Hall of Fame runner. The Saints improved their backfield clarity but did not turn the acquired pick into lasting value. Arizona Cardinals Win.