The Adrian Peterson saga continues as the running back remains in limbo regarding his future. Currently reinstated and allowed to attend practices with the Minnesota Vikings, Peterson has yet to appear for team workouts and instead is expressing his desire to head elsewhere. As the Vikings remain firm on their stance of not trading the running back, Peterson is making it clear that he would ideally like to be in Dallas for 2015.
Peterson told WFAA-TV in Dallas that while his future is out of his hands, he would love if the Cowboys traded for him prior to the season starting. This idea is nothing new as Peterson has said multiple times that he would love to play for the Cowboys. ESPN reported at the start of the 2014 season that Peterson had gone as far as to call Jerry Jones and say that he wanted to be a member of the Cowboys. That belief has not changed heading into the 2015 season.
"It would be nice," Peterson said, via Dallas' WFAA-TV. "I've got family here, my dad's here. But I'm under contract, so we'll see."
Peterson could be trying to send a message to both the Cowboys and Vikings. Minnesota continues to say they have no intentions of dealing Peterson as quarterback Teddy Bridgewater told the media that he expects the running back to be a starter for the team in 2015. General manager Rick Spielman told the media that he would prefer people put to bed the idea of a trade involving the former NFL MVP.
"We can just end the Adrian Peterson stuff," Spielman said, via ESPN. "Our position has not changed. We have no interest in trading Adrian Peterson."
Whether or not a trade happens is anyone's guess right now, but regardless, Dallas still needs another running back. The team signed Darren McFadden to replace DeMarco Murray who departed for the Philadelphia Eagles. If his stint with the Oakland Raiders taught fans anything it is that McFadden is not Murray's equal. Owner Jerry Jones maintains the belief that any running back can be successful in Dallas and he will find out just how true that is in 2015.
According to the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys are eyeing a running back in the first round. The team has been linked to both Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon while TJ Yeldon is their second-round option if both other backs are drafted. However, Jones told the media in his pre-draft press conference that getting a running back in the first round is not imperative for the Cowboys. Fans might think otherwise.
"It's not urgent. It's not urgent in the draft," Jones said, via NFL.com. "We don't have that as a must to come out of here with a running back. Yes. Again, is running back an area of interest position-wise? Certainly. Certainly it is. But my opinion is we could play with the running backs we've got right now and play well."