The Washington Football Team's decision to cut Adrian Peterson was one of the most surprising moves of the weekend, but it didn't take Ron Rivera's club long to move on from the future Pro Football Hall of Famer, who reportedly landed with the Detroit Lions. Not only does Washington feel comfortable moving forward with their loaded stable of young backs, but another veteran is even taking Peterson's No. 26 jersey. According to Ben Standig of The Athletic, safety Landon Collins is giving his No. 20 jersey to Jimmy Moreland, and taking No. 26 for himself.
Despite his age, Peterson was productive for Washington over the past two seasons. In 31 games, he rushed for 1,940 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 4.2 yards per carry. With the hiring of Rivera, however, the new head coach is looking to put his mark on this team, and he's excited about some of the young talent he acquired this offseason. As for Collins, his jersey number has been a subject of discussion ever since he signed a six-year, $84 million deal with Washington last offseason. He originally wanted to wear No. 21 in honor of his hero Sean Taylor, but Washington fans were not excited about that possibility, and wanted to keep the number retired. Instead, Collins opted to go with No. 20 for his first season in Washington.
During his time at the University of Alabama, Collins wore No. 26, since Taylor wore that number during his collegiate career at the University of Miami. Collins was dominant when wearing No. 26 for the Crimson Tide, as he recorded 184 total tackles, 13 passes defensed and five interceptions in three seasons in Tuscaloosa. With the uniform changes Washington is undergoing, it will certainly look a lot like Alabama's football team. For example, players will have their jersey numbers on their helmets like the Crimson Tide do, and Washington fans hope this will reignite Collins. During his first season in Washington, he recorded 117 combined tackles. It wasn't Collins' best season, considering he reset the safety market last year, but like the Washington Football Team as a whole, Collins could be set to turn over a new leaf.
