Saints running backs coach Joel Thomas believes best yet to come for Adrian Peterson

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New Orleans Saints running back Adrian Peterson's role in a shared backfield with Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara through four games is best described as limited.

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The 32-year-old Peterson has 81 yards rushing with no touchdowns on 27 carries on the season, averaging 3 yards per attempt, and has played on 44 snaps (17 percent) of the Saints' 259 total offensive snaps.

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Probably not what many expected after the Saints signed Peterson as a free agent in April and when considering Peterson's decorated career, which includes 11,717 yards rushing and 82 touchdowns in 10 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.

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Running backs coach Joel Thomas, however, firmly believes Peterson still has plenty to offer the offense as the season progresses. "It's just a matter of time," Thomas said Tuesday in a telephone interview. "I really feel like this block, it's going to break. "We just have to keep on chipping and you keep grinding, keep getting after something and ultimately something positive is going to come out of this."

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Peterson enters the bye week as the apparent third option in the backfield. Ingram leads the team with 170 yards on 42 attempts (137 total offensive snaps) and Kamara has 83 yards on 15 carries (91 total offensive snaps).

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When it comes to contributing in the passing game, Ingram has 15 catches for 125 yards, Kamara has 20 catches for 147 yards and a touchdown, while Peterson has two catches for 4 yards.

Thomas points out the Saints have entered each game with the mindset to incorporate Ingram and Peterson in the running game by scripting plays and responsibilities on first- and second-down base calls.

But the flow of the game sometimes affects the backfield distribution, especially if Kamara has success exploiting a defense like what occurred in Week Four against the Miami Dolphins.

In a contest where Peterson rushed four times for 4 yards, Kamara gouged the Miami defense with 10 receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets.

"Immediately all of sudden AK is getting open," Thomas said. "So, boom, we flip the switch, got off that and you see a guy that's hitting, converting on first downs, five targets, completions, all this stuff."

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"There's some wiggle there as far as that goes, but unfortunately like the last game there's a couple of series in there that AD is starting off and going, and we're three-and-out."

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Thomas said he has spoken to Peterson about the backfield situation, emphasizing through no fault of Peterson that there are circumstances within the game affecting how the Saints ultimately distribute the ball to the benefit of the team. The Saints' running backs coach also lauded how the veteran rusher with Hall of Fame credentials has responded.

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"He's been a professional about it," Thomas said. "I mean, go to high school, go to college, go to pros: When was the last time he was kind of second fiddle in an offense?

"He comes down, he practices hard, and he asks the questions in meetings. When he needs to be corrected, he takes it, he rolls with it and I have nothing but respect for the man. Regardless what he's done in the past, it's what he's been doing here."

For his part, Peterson conveyed his belief to reporters in the locker room following Week Four's 20-0 win against the Dolphins that the backfield will eventually settle.

"Without a doubt," Peterson said Sunday. "Honestly, I really think things will work themselves out."

And while Peterson hasn't had the production or impact on the field as he enjoyed throughout his career, he doesn't hesitate to stay involved during a game by providing mentorship to his backfield teammates.

"I just do my part talking to Mark and AK when I see things they might have missed," Peterson told reporters in London. "I'm just trying to be that leader as of now."

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