Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings could be headed for a split into the 2015 season, as the trade or release of the running back could come after he had his appeal denied once again and now he is eligible for reinstatement in April and if he moves on, the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots could be interested in him.
Peterson is meeting with Vikings brass to try and work things out, but so far the two sides have not been able to come to a full agreement about the future. Peterson had his suspension overturned on appeal and now the Vikings have the option of extending Peterson, releasing him or trading him to another team. According the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the Vikings and Peterson are having a "continuation of dialogue" about 2015 and things could come down to money, as the team may ask him to take a pay cut to stay in Minnesota.
--UPDATE: DeMarco Murray has picked the Philadlephia Eagles after playing for the Dallas Cowboys. Murray will get a five year $42 million deal according to Adam Schefter. Adrian Peterson now could be a top target for the Cowboys and he will meet with the Vikings next week.
--UPDATE II: Darren McFadden has signed with the Dallas Cowboys. That could put a dent in Adrian Peterson coming to Dallas.
Peterson is set to make $12.75 million in salary and he has the highest cap hit of any running back in the league with a $15 million numbers. LeSean McCoy and Frank Gore just signed new deals and Peterson will be watching closely about what happens with DeMarco Murray. Peterson is 29 years old, but he has been as productive as any running back in the NFL during his career and that could give him some leverage.
The Vikings have been very public about wanting to bring Peterson back, but that may be protection for the PR fallout if he ends up leaving. According to ESPN.com, Peterson still has "concerns" about coming back to the Vikings, as he was not pleased with how he was placed on the exempt list last season. Peterson played in just one game last year, rushing for 75 yards against the Rams before being moved to the list. Peterson has met with Vikings owner Zygi Wilf and GM Rick Spielman and that could help move things along in the process.
According to Yahoo Sports, a number of teams are interested in Peterson if he is traded or released, as the Arizona Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys have been mentioned as potential landing spots. Staying in Minnesota is an option and the San Diego Chargers have also been mentioned as a team that could get involved. According to ESPN.com, Peterson may be willing to restructure his deal to help a trade, but so far no agreement is close.
The Dallas Cowboys have been mentioned the most in connection with Peterson and the Colts were an option, but they signed Frank Gore and are likely out of the mix now. The Minnesota Vikings and Adrian Peterson may end up with a split and the Dallas Cowboys could be an option for the team after Jerry Jones previously showed interest in AP. The decision though likely depends on what happens with Murray and his contract, as he is in free agency after an MVP like season. The Vikings may look to trade Adrian Peterson at some point and many have mentioned the Cowboys as an option for them, but with his contract it could be tough.