METAIRIE, La. -- Adrian Peterson might not become the next Darren Sproles or Reggie Bush now that he's with the New Orleans Saints.
But the future Hall of Famer would like to set the record straight on one of the critiques he has heard about his game over the years.
Yes, he can catch the football.
"It's always funny to me. ... It's like a lot of people say, 'Well, he can't catch the ball.' And I'm like, 'I've been playing ball since I was 7 years old, I can catch a football,'" Peterson said. "I don't let it frustrate me too much. But I'd be lying to ya to say it's not nerve-wracking to hear people say, 'He can't catch the ball. What is he gonna do in this offense because they pass so much?'"
Peterson -- who has 11,747 career rushing yards and 97 rushing touchdowns vs. 1,945 receiving yards and five receiving TDs -- explained that he just wasn't used in that role much with the Minnesota Vikings. But he pointed out that he had his two best receiving seasons in the two years that he played with quarterback Brett Favre (436 yards in 2009 and 341 in 2010).
"So it's all about having a guy that's gonna get the ball to you. And without a doubt, I know [Drew] Brees will be doing that," Peterson said.
When asked why he thinks that would make such a difference -- since inexperienced quarterbacks probably rely on check-down passes to running backs as much as anyone -- Peterson explained, "You've got different quarterbacks that see the field differently."
"A lot of quarterbacks, when they go through their progression, they're stuck on one side. They're not seeing the backside checkdown or me leaking out in the flat or a back leaking out in the flat," Peterson said. "You've got guys like Favre and Drew Brees who are Hall of Famers, they're Hall of Famers for a reason. Not only can they throw the ball, but they have other qualities that make them top-tier quarterbacks. ... You've got a guy who knows what's going on, he knows every guy's position and where they're supposed to be."
Most likely, Peterson's primary role will be as a runner and a base-down back in New Orleans, both because that's his strength and because Mark Ingram is excellent as a pass protector and solid as a pass-catcher.
But the Saints do a ton of passing, and they like all of their backs to be versatile. And that appealed to Peterson when he was searching for a new team.
Peterson said the chance to expand his repertoire with an "amazing" QB like Brees and a "genius" offensive coach like Sean Payton is definitely one of the things that drew him to New Orleans.
"Definitely a perk to play with Drew Brees. He's amazing. I see why he has performed at such a high level for 15, 16 years. Now I'm able to see it firsthand," said Peterson, who admits that the transition to a new team for the first time in 10 years won't come overnight.
"The offense has been challenging, but I knew that coming in. Coach Payton is like a genius putting together an offensive scheme," Peterson said. "I know after minicamp I'll really be able to take that playbook home, and I'll really have to dedicate time to learning each and everything.
"I don't want that to be a reason I'm being slowed down at all, so I'm going to have to invest a lot of time in the playbook for sure."