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Adrian Peterson joins Cardinals just in time to face Bucs

 
Defensive end Larry Webster, who has played in one NFL game, is added to the practice squad.
Defensive end Larry Webster, who has played in one NFL game, is added to the practice squad.
Published Oct. 11, 2017

TAMPA — Rather than face six-time Pro Bowl RB Adrian Peterson twice this season in games against the Saints, the Bucs will now face the former 2,000-yard rusher this Sunday when they play at Arizona.

The Cardinals, hoping to improve the NFL's worst rushing attack, sent a conditional 2018 sixth-round pick to New Orleans for the 32-year-old running back, who had expressed an interest in coming to Tampa in the offseason.

The Cardinals (2-3) are averaging just 51.8 rushing yards per game — 23 less than any other team in the NFL — and averaging a league-low 2.6 yards per carry. They'll turn to Peterson quickly, as they released their leading rusher and another former 2,000-yard back, Chris Johnson, to make room for him.

How much can Peterson help the Cardinals in his first week? He's totaled just 81 yards for the Saints (3-yard average), including four carries for 4 yards in his last game.

Peterson is 0-3 in his career against Tampa Bay, but he's run well, with 328 rushing yards and three touchdowns in three games, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. The most recent of those games was in 2012, so he's not quite the running threat he was five years ago.

On the mend

The Bucs return to the practice field today, and after a long weekend off following their loss to the Patriots on Thursday, it will give the first insights into whether key defensive players can return from injury.

The Bucs played without LBs Kwon Alexander (hamstring) and Lavonte David (ankle), as well as S T.J. Ward and Keith Tandy, both out with hip injuries.

DE Ryan Russell, who dislocated his shoulder in Thursday's game, said Tuesday that even though he partially tore his labrum, he'll be able to play through the injury. He said he needs to regain full range of motion and didn't know exactly when he'd be able to return.

Roster move

For the second time in as many days, the Bucs added a defensive end to their practice squad, this time in former Lions draft pick Larry Webster. Webster, 6 feet 6 and 270 pounds, has only played in one NFL game, with one tackle for Carolina last year. He joins rookie Pat O'Connor, a 2017 Lions seventh-rounder who was signed to the practice squad on Monday. The Bucs released FB/TE Austin Johnson from the practice squad to make room for Webster.

Contact Greg Auman at gauman@tampabay.com and (813) 310-2690. Follow @gregauman.