Cowboys Foe Washington Is Cutting Emmitt-Chasing Adrian Peterson

Dallas Cowboys Foe Washington Is Cutting Emmitt-Chasing Adrian Peterson

Just two days ago, reports came out of the Washington Football Team camp that running back Adrian Peterson was expected to get the early-down work in 2020. The way The Athletic wrote it:

"Peterson gets the early downs with the explosive rookie [Antonio] Gibson and the pass-catching [J.D.] McKissic next in line for touches.''

Oops.

According to NFL Network, the iconic Peterson, 35, will be released as the team cuts to 53 players ahead of Saturday’s 3 p.m. CT deadline.

There was some logic in assuming that Peterson - a University of Oklahoma product and Texas native who once was the apple of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' recruiting eye - might again be the starter in Washington after the troubled Derrius Guice was released this summer.

But the WFT is moving on in a different direction, with Gibson, McKissic, Peyton Barber and Bryce Love still on the club's roster.

Peterson was in line to earn a base salary of $2.25 million this season; cutting him will save Washington about $2.4 million in cap space.

Peterson, who last year had 18-plus carries in four different games and rushed for over 100 yards in two of them, reportedly intends to continue his NFL career ... 

READ MORE: Peterson Goal: To Pass 'The GOAT' -Emmitt Smith

That plan includes, of course, a desire to catch Emmitt Smith as the NFL's all-time leading rusher. But it won't happen in Washington.