The Minnesota Vikings and Adrian Peterson could be headed for a showdown this offseason and with his future still uncertain, the Vikings could look at signing free agents like Stevan Ridley, Steven Jackson, Chris Johnson, Ahmad Bradshaw or Pierre Thomas for insurance of Peterson is traded to add depth with Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata.
The Vikings have been very public about wanting Peterson to return, but so far the running back and the team have not been able to agree on how to move forward. According to ESPN.com, Peterson's agent Ben Dogra said publicly at the owners meetings that Minnesota may not be the best place for his client anymore. Peterson reportedly is uneasy about coming back, as he felt "ambushed" at the way he was placed on the exempt list last season.
Sources told ESPN earlier in the offseason that Peterson planned on playing through his suspension and felt the team turned on him due to public relations issues. The Ray Rice situation was still fresh and that could have played a part in what happened with Peterson. According to Pro Football Talk, the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals are the top options for Peterson if he is traded, but right now no deal is close to happening.
Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said that the team has no plans to trade Peterson and that they expect him to be with the team in 2015. Peterson is set to make over $12 million next season and he has a cap hit at $15 million, the highest among running backs in the league. Peterson is 30 and while he has been very productive in his career, that is the age most backs start to break down. Peterson's contarct could make him tough to trade, as both the Cardinals and Cowboys have tight cap situations with the draft coming up.
If the team does trade Peterson, they likely will be happy with using Asiata and McKinnon again, as that worked fairly well for Teddy Bridgewater in 2014. The team could look at adding depth in the draft, while free agency also has some low cost options that could be high upside moves for the team. According to ESPN.com, Stevan Ridley is starting team visits and he is meeting with the Dolphins and could be a potential option for the Vikings. Ridley spent his first four seasons with the Patriots and dealt with an ACL injury last season. Ridley could be a cheap option for the Vikings and he has shown in the past he can handle being part of a rotation.
Steven Jackson, Chris Johnson, Ahmad Bradshaw, Pierre Thomas and Knowshon Moreno are also on the market and could be fits for the Vikings. Jackson was with the Falcons for the past two seasons, while Johnson played with the Jets last year before being let go. Bradshaw was injured for the Colts last season and could be a low cost option, while Moreno also could be a fit after spending the year with the Dolphins. Peterson is under contract and could remain in Minnesota, but right now his future remains unclear.