Adrian Peterson: Trent Williams’s absence “impacting us tremendously”

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There are times when players downplay the absence of teammates from practices and talk up the way that others are taking advantage of their opportunities.

That’s not the route Washington running back Adrian Peterson is taking when it comes to left tackle Trent Williams. Peterson isn’t sugarcoating anything about life being more difficult for the team without Williams on the field.

“Since Day One of camp you notice his absence is impacting us tremendously,” Peterson said, via Josina Anderson of ESPN. “You go from not having to worry about the blind-side at all, to having to chip on that side, add a tight end there which changes what you do. I think it’s making Dwayne Haskins have to think more, not process things as calmly. Matter of fact, I think it’s impacting all of our quarterbacks. Guys are coming off the edge in practice right there on the quarterback and the running back. It’s been a struggle.”

Life would obviously be easier with Williams in the lineup, but there have been multiple reports that Williams has no intention of returning to the team this year. There’s also no sign that Washington is going to pull the trigger on a trade sending the veteran to another team either, so the door will remain open while the team tries to find a way to alleviate the struggles they’ve been going through on the field.