The Minnesota Vikings and Adrian Peterson have not yet found a way to clear things up for the 2015 season and while his return is still possible, a split with a trade to a team like the Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys or Miami Dolphins is looking more likely, as his agent made comments this week saying it may not be in Peterson's best interest to stay.
Peterson's future has been up in the air since he was placed on the exempt list last season while dealing with his legal case and it has still not been settled. Peterson has come up in trade rumors this offseason, with teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders as potential options, but so far nothing has come to fruition. According to ESPN.com, Peterson's agent Ben Dogra said this week that he didn't think "it's in Adrian's best interest to play in Minnesota".
Peterson's status for the 2015 season has been debated about all year and he has also had his suspension overturned on appeal by a judge. Dogra went public for the first time about Peterson's status for 2015 and it could signal that he is frustrated with how the Vikings are handling things. The team has said that they will not be releasing Peterson and that could set up a potential showdown between the Vikings and Peterson, potentially over money.
ESPN writes that this could mean Peterson is "digging in", meaning he will not take a pay cut and may not want to report to the team. Peterson is set to make $12.75 million in salary this season and will cost $15 million on the salary cap. The team could look at adding someone like Stevan Ridley or Steven Jackson for depth if Peterson is traded.
Dogra made his comments while at the NFL owners meetings in Arizona and it comes after reports came out that he declined a dinner meeting with the Vikings last week. The Vikings have been public about wanting Peterson to return, but so far the two sides have not been able to come to an agreement about what to do moving forward. Peterson reportedly is "uneasy" about returning for the Vikings after the way he was placed on the exempt list last season, as Peterson hoped to play while fighting his legal case in Texas.
There is a chance that the Vikings may want Peterson to take a pay cut and that could be an issue with him coming back, but the team has not gone public with that yet. Peterson is 30-years-old and while he has been one of the most productive backs in NFL history, that is the age when most RBs start to break down. Peterson rushed for 75 yards last season in one game and he came into last year after rushing for 1266 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2013.
Peterson had a career best 2097 yards in 2012 while scoring 12 touchdowns and winning offensive player of the year and now he could be on his way out of Minnesota. According to Pro Football Talk, the Arizona Cardinals are the most likely destination for Peterson, as they are in need of a running back and reports had them previously willing to deal a "high draft pick" for Peterson. Peter King reported last week that the $45 million left on Peterson's contract is a "non-starter" for the Cardinals and if Peterson is traded he may have to restructure.