The Minnesota Vikings and Adrian Peterson are working out their plans for the future and if the team opts to trade him this offseason, teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be potential landing spots.
Peterson had his suspension overturned on appeal earlier in the offseason and his future is still up in the air for the 2015 season. Staying with Vikings remains a possibility and the team has been very open about wanting Peterson to return this season. According to Peter King at the MMQB, the Arizona Cardinals have been considered a likely option for a trade, but so far Peterson's contract demands are too high. The Cardinals were reportedly willing to give up a "high draft pick" for Peterson, but the money on his contract was too much to deal with.
The Cardinals re-worked Larry Fitzgerald's contract this offseason and if they trade for Peterson the team likely would want him to restructure or take a pay cut. Peterson has three years and $45 million left on his contract and he will be 30 when the season starts and that is too much for the Cardinals to take on. Peterson has a cap hit of $15 million and is getting paid nearly $13 million and that could be what ends up keeping him in Minnesota.
The Vikings may ask Peterson to take a pay cut and Mike Freeman at Bleacher Report wrote that if things get contentious, the team could release Peterson. The Vikings may deal with the high number to keep Peterson in town, but even that is no certainty, as sources have said that Peterson is "uneasy" about coming back. Peterson reportedly was not happy about how he was placed on the exempt list earlier in the season and there still could be a bit of a rift between the two sides.
The Vikings and Peterson are meeting again to discuss the future and the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that the team is "hopeful" that Peterson will return. The Cowboys were considered a main option for Peterson this offseason, but the team signed Darren McFadden after losing DeMarco Murray in free agency and likely will not get involved in a trade. The Cowboys could be an option if Peterson is released, but that is looking like it will not happen and if he moves it likely will be in a trade.
The Vikings signed back Matt Asiata and the team liked what they saw last season from rookie Jerick McKinnon and they would be the primary backs if Peterson is moved. The Vikings also could look at players in the draft, as names like Melvin Gordon, Todd Gurley and TJ Yeldon are coming out this year. Peterson is coming into the offseason after playing in just one game and rushing for 75 yards and while he is getting older, the year off could be good for him long term with less wear and tear on his body and his knee. Peterson had 1266 yards in 2013 and 2097 yards in 2012 and those two teams he combined to score 22 touchdowns.