The Minnesota Vikings and Adrian Peterson could be headed for a split this offseason and a trade could be in the cards and if he is traded, teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders, Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins could be interested in acquiring him after he missed nearly all of the 2014 season.
The Vikings and Peterson have been at odds this offseason and his future remains up in the air for the 2015 season. Peterson was suspended indefinitely by the league, but his suspension was overturned on appeal and now he is set to be reinstated soon by Roger Goodell, although there is no official date for that. According to ESPN.com, Peterson is allowed to talk about a trade or reworking his contract with the Vikings, who have so far expressed that they would like him to return.
According to ESPN.com, Peterson agent said it may not be in his clients "best interest" to remain with the Vikings and this could be his way of demanding they look at a trade. Pro Football Talk reports that the Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders could be potential landing spots for Peterson. The Vikings have been consistent about Peterson returning, but sources reported that the running back was not happy about the way he was placed on the exempt list and is unsure about what he will do this season.
Peterson is under contract and has a $12.75 million base salary for next year and has $40 million over the next three years. His contract could make him tough to trade and that could lead to him spending another season in Minnesota. The Vikings signed back Matt Asiata and the team liked what they saw last season from rookie Jerick McKinnon and they would be the primary backs if Peterson is moved.
The Vikings also could look at players in the draft, as names like Melvin Gordon, Todd Gurley and TJ Yeldon are coming out this year. Peterson is coming into the offseason after playing in just one game and rushing for 75 yards and while he is getting older, the year off could be good for him long term with less wear and tear on his body and his knee. Peterson had 1266 yards in 2013 and 2097 yards in 2012 and those two teams he combined to score 22 touchdowns.
According to Yahoo Sports, a number of teams are interested in Peterson if he is traded or released, as the Arizona Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys have been mentioned as potential landing spots. Staying in Minnesota is an option and the San Diego Chargers have also been mentioned as a team that could get involved. According to ESPN.com, Peterson may be willing to restructure his deal to help a trade, but so far no agreement is close.
Peterson played in just one game last year, rushing for 75 yards against the Rams before being moved to the list. Peterson previously met with Vikings owner Zygi Wilf and GM Rick Spielman and that could help move things along in the process.
