Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tracked down Hall of Fame running backs Curtis Martin and 2015 inductee Jerome Bettis to gather their thoughts on Adrian Peterson's pursuit of Emmit Smith's 18,355 yards.
Peterson, 30, is entering his ninth pro season with 10,190 yards on the books.
"He can break Emmitt's record," Martin told Tomasson during Pro Football Hall of Fame weekend. "He can. If anybody can do it, it's him. Ability-wise, he's the most gifted back I've ever seen."
Bettis said he thinks Peterson has "another three years of heavy productivity."
"I think he's got another three years of 300-carry football, and then you'll start to see a little wear and tear on his body. ... But a little drop-off by Adrian Peterson is an above-average running back in the NFL, so I think he's definitely got five years of being a solid running back in this league."
Click **here** for the full report.
Right place, right time
Mark Craig of the Star Tribune writes that Teddy Bridgewater's locking in with Kyle Rudolph for two completions of the six passes he attempted had multiple reasons.
Craig wrote:
*Besides being a giant with soft hands, there's another reason to like Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph. So says Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. *
"Whether he's the primary read or he's a late outlet as I'm going through my progression, Kyle is always in the right place at the right time," said Bridgewater, who has become a consistent preacher to his targets when it comes to the right-place, right-time mantra.
Becoming too locked in on a target, however, can have its pitfalls, Bridgewater said after the Hall of Fame Game, attributing a throw that was off the mark to Mike Wallace as a result of a late decision after he first tried to hit Rudolph on a corner route. Click **here** for the full write-up.
Oppo research
From ESPN's Pat Yasinskas, a **look** at what Tampa Bay is doing in its camp Tuesday in preparation for Saturday's game in Minnesota:
As the Bucs return to practice Tuesday after having Monday off, one of the focuses will be on the competition for the third receiver spot. Louis Murphy, who held that role last year, has been out with an injury since the start of camp. That has given rookie Kenny Bell and second-year pro Robert Herron an opportunity, and both have responded well. Bell has been making big plays, and Herron has shown marked improvement from his rookie year.
Quick Hitter
A look at the **TV ratings** from the Hall of Fame Game, which topped Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.
