Saints' Payton open to bringing back Adrian Peterson

Adrian Peterson needs a team and the New Orleans Saints may need another running back in the wake of Mark Ingram's four-game suspension. That could lead to a relatively improbable reunion.

"Absolutely," Saints head coach Sean Payton said Saturday when asked if he'd consider bringing Peterson back, according to Herbie Teope of NFL.com. "This gets back to the notion that we had some type of any argument at Minnesota (in Week 1 of the 2017 season), which I still say there was none. I think a ton of him."

Peterson inked a two-year deal with the Saints last offseason, but his tenure in the Big Easy lasted just four games. After he seemingly grew unhappy with his role, the Saints traded Peterson to the Arizona Cardinals.

Even with Ingram set to miss the first month of the 2018 season, the Saints reportedly aren't interested in adding to their backfield. Payton, though, suggested the team could call Peterson if that stance changes.

"That would the part where if all of a sudden we decided, 'Hey, we're going to look at additional players that are on the street,'" he said. "And certainly his name - there'd be a few others - we have them on the board right now. Who's available, veteran running backs, stacked on a board and graded. But, listen, he's a tough player, warrior, and a great worker, and we have a good relationship."

Peterson hasn't attracted much interest on the free-agent market since being released by the Cardinals early in the offseason. The 33-year-old rushed for 448 yards and two touchdowns across six contests as Arizona's featured tailback. He had just 81 yards on 27 carries in a Saints uniform.