The Facts: The criticism has followed Peterson throughout his NFL career. Peterson, who signed with the New Orleans Saints in April, is one of the best running backs of his generation. As great as he's been during his likely Hall of Fame career, though, he's not good as a receiver -- at least according to his critics. "It's always funny to me because I've been playing this game since I was 7, and a lot of people say, 'Well, he can't catch the ball,'" Peterson said Tuesday after minicamp. "I've been playing since I was 7 years old. I can catch a football."

Diehards Line: As Times-Picayune staffer Josh Katzenstein notes, during the first seven years of his career, Peterson averaged 29 catches for 242 yards. But Peterson said the main reason he wasn't consistently productive as a pass catcher is because the Vikings didn't use him in that way for most of his 10 years in Minnesota. However, during the two years Peterson played with Brett Favre, he had his most productive seasons as a receiver. In 2009, he had career highs of 43 receptions and 436 receiving yards. In 2010, he had 36 catches for 341 yards. Could Drew Brees make a difference? In Sean Payton's offense, the Saints frequently rely on their running backs to make plays as a receiver. Mark Ingram was the team's top rusher the past two seasons, and he still had 50 receptions in 2015 -- in just 12 games -- and 46 in 2016. Still, with Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara around, there's no guarantee Peterson will be a key factor in the passing game in 2017. That said, all eyes will be on Peterson once training camp opens. We'll be among those watching and reporting back further.