The Minnesota Vikings and Adrian Peterson could be headed for a split in the future once his suspension is over and the trade or release of the running back could be an option for the team and if that happens, the Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and 49ers all could be interested and this comes as DeMarco Murray is set to be a free agent.
Peterson played in only one game this season before being placed on the exempt list due to his legal issues and currently he is suspended indefinitely and can apply for reinstatement. The future for Peterson is unclear right now, as the NFL will have to reinstate him when he applies and the earliest that can come is in April of 2015. According to ESPN.com, head coach Mike Zimmer said that he would be willing to bring Peterson back when he is reinstated and that he would be "welcome" on the team.
Earlier in the season when his legal case was not fully settled, Chris Mortensen reported that the Vikings were likely to move on from Peterson, as his contract is huge and he is on the backside of his career. At the time Peterson had not reached his plea agreement and now that it has happened, the organization may be more willing to bring home back. Peterson appealed the suspension and was denied and after that he spoke in an interview with USA Today about his future and the Vikings. Peterson said that he wants to come back, but also admitted that a "fresh start" could be good for both sides.
Peterson is not Ray Rice, as he still has plenty in the tank despite his age, as he has played at a high level over the past couple years. This season Peterson rushed for just 75 yards in one game and while he may not be able to get the rushing record now, he still could have productive years ahead of him. One of the major issues with Peterson is his contract, as he is set to make $12.75 million next season and $14.75 million the year after that and his cap hits are very high.
While Peterson is a Hall of Fame talent, the Vikings may not be able to afford to keep him on the team at that high of a salary. Even before all the issues with his legal case and suspension, NFL reporter Mike Freeman wrote about the potential for a split between the Vikings and Peterson. Freeman wrote after the draft last season that it was likely the team would make a move with Peterson over the next two years, whether it be his release or trade. Freeman added that the team using more shotgun sets with Teddy Bridgewater could marginalize Peterson a bit and if that happens, it's likely the team can't justify keeping an aging running back at that price.
That was way before the legal issues and other problems for Peterson and now only time will tell about what the Vikings will do with him once he is reinstated. Peterson rushed for 2000 yards a couple years ago and over 1200 in 2013 and teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots could be interested if he is released.