The Minnesota Vikings are very aware of the leverage they hold with Adrian Peterson. The team has made it clear they are very comfortable with the idea of entering the 2015 season with Peterson as the starter which is making it easy to demand a lot for a trade. According to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press, the Vikings want a first-round draft pick for the former NFL MVP and the Dallas Cowboys might be eliminating themselves from the race as a result.
According to Adam Schefter via 105.3 Dallas, Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones said the team is not interested in trading draft picks for veteran players. Read between the lines and Jones is clearly referring to the trade demands for Peterson. The Cowboys have been thought to be the main players in a deal for Peterson after the running back made it clear he wanted to play football in Dallas and was seeking a chance from the Vikings. However, the Cowboys appear to favor building through the draft and not with high-priced veteran players.
Dallas has the space to take on Peterson after restructuring Tony Romo's contract. They did that for a reason so either they are planning on giving Dez Bryant his long-term contract or they are eyeing a big trade and just downplaying the interest during negotiations. With Jerry Jones, anything is really possible.
The running back need is still there for Dallas which is only fueling the trade idea more. After losing DeMarco Murray, Dallas signed Darren McFadden which is not the ideal replacement for the NFL leading rusher. According to the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys like the idea of drafting Todd Gurley or Melvin Gordon. If they are on the board at No. 27, the team could easily make the move. If both running backs are gone, TJ Yeldon is the favorite in the second round. Spending a first-round pick on a younger back makes much more sense than spending it on an aging star no matter how good they are.
Jones has maintained the belief that any running back can be successful behind the talented offensive line of the Cowboys. The team is about to find out just how true that idea is especially if they opt not to trade for Peterson. Everyone from Gordon to Yeldon have said they are the perfect back for the Cowboys' system. It appears Dallas is listening.