The Minnesota Vikings have Adrian Peterson on suspension until next year at the earliest if he doesn't win his appeal and if at some point in the future a trade goes down or he is released, teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens could be interested in signing him.
Peterson will have his appeal hearing on December 2 after he appealed his season long suspension and after the Ray Rice decision, the NFL and NFLPA will be very eager to see how this one goes. According to ESPN.com, the appeal will be heard by an arbitrator next week and that will likely determine if he is allowed to play again this season. Even if he does play, Peterson's future with the Vikings is uncertain, as they have gotten some solid play from Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon.
Peterson was not happy with the decision of the NFL and now he needs to be reinstated before anything can happen. The Vikings have not made it clear one way or another what they will do, but Peterson spoke in a USA Today interview and said he would like to return to the team. In that same interview Peterson also admitted that a fresh start could be best for both sides and things could go that way depending on how things play out over the next few months.
The Cowboys have Murray and are looking to keep him, but there is a chance he could ask for too much money after the career season he is having. The team has Dez Bryant to deal with as well and that could cause some issues with Murray. Jones loves Murray and also has expressed his interest in Peterson and if AP ends up on the market, expect the Cowboys to jump in.
The Vikings have Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon as young options and they have emerged as solid players in the wake of Peterson's absence. The team obviously knows that Peterson is a better player, but there is a good chance that they will look to make a move down the line at some point. Asiata and McKinnon are young and this has been a chance for both players to get experience in the league.
Peterson has been one of the best backs in football during his career and if he is released there will be a ton of teams interested in signing him. The Cowboys may look at adding Peterson, while the Dolphins and Colts are both coming off years when they lost their top backs to injuries. The Buffalo Bills may lose CJ Spiller to free agency, while the Browns could look at adding him if he is released. The Browns have Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell, but they have ditched Ben Tate and Trent Richardson in each of the last two seasons.
The Vikings may end up keeping Peterson, but he is making a ton of money and with a year off and his age getting to where it is, it could be time for a split. The team now has a big choice to make after the season and if the appeal is heard and suspension is overturned, Peterson could be back for this season.
