Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has had to deal with plenty of adversity on and off the field this season and as he heads into the latter stages of his career, the Vikings need to upgrade at quarterback and after dealing with Christian Ponder and Josh Freeman as well as Matt Cassel, would the team go after names like Michael Vick, Matt Schaub or Kirk Cousins next season?
Trade rumors involving Peterson came up this season since the Vikings were playing so badly and while the star said that he would understand the move, he said that he wanted to stay in Minnesota. Rumors about the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins never got serious and now as the team heads into their back stretch of the season, many have started to speculate as to what their future plans will be, as Ponder and Freeman have disappointed this season. Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson came out to say that he wants to reach out to Peterson, as he had a similar situation when he played and he also added that Peterson needs an upgrade at quarterback to help him be more successful.
Last season Peterson came eight yards short of breaking the record set by Dickerson and while his 2013 stats won't be as good, he still is a star in this league and an upgrade at quarterback could be a big help. Peterson played it smart to reporters, responding to the comments and saying that he supports Ponder, but there surely is some weight to what Dickerson said, as a solid quarterback could really put the team over the top, as they have plenty of talent after making the playoffs in 2012, but this year that will not be in the cards. Last year Peterson defended Ponder after a tough game against the Packers and while AP is supporting him, that doesn't mean the Vikings won't make a move this offseason.
The team is shaping up to get a high draft pick and they could possibly turn that into Johnny Manziel or even Teddy Bridgewater, while there are other options around the league. Josh McCown could slide over in the division, as could Jay Cutler, as he is shaping up to be a free agent and while he has been banged up this year, he would be a huge upgrade over Ponder. Freeman has not been the answer and while he could stick around, chances are it will be a new name starting for the team next season.
Cutler was an intriguing option but he is staying in Chicago, and Michael Vick could be, as he likely will be leaving the Eagles now that it's clear that Nick Foles is the real deal and he could be a player that transforms the team. Sure, he is not as good or as explosive as in the past, but compared to what the Vikings have been doing, he could be the answer for the team. Matt Schaub is an interesting option in a trade or if he gets released by the Texans, as he just signed an extension but the team has been terrible and Case Keenum has been solid while starting for him. Kirk Cousins is a young option that could get some attention, while Vick and Cutler are the more likely options for the team. While the draft and the offseason are months away, it'll be interesting to see how the Vikings finish out the season.
