Adrian Peterson isn’t eligible for reinstatement for nearly two more months, but there has certainly been no shortage of rumors swirling around the embattled running back over the last week at the league’s scouting combine in Indianapolis. Last Thursday, we learned that Peterson was “uneasy” about the prospect of returning to the Vikings; on Saturday, a report indicated the Vikings aren’t interested in trading the former MVP; and on Sunday, we heard that Peterson hasn’t formally requested a trade and is open to the idea of returning to Minnesota.
What’s the latest on the ongoing situation? Let’s dive in and round up today’s updates….
- Peterson’s father told Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press that he believes Vikings COO Kevin Warren was against Adrian Peterson coming back to the team last season. “Kevin Warren was a major player in the push last year to not have Adrian reinstated,” Nelson Peterson said. “We had our sources that we knew that Kevin wasn’t working for Adrian to get him back on the field and was working to keep Adrian off the field.” He also indicated that the fight between Dogra and Brzezinski centered around a conversation about Warren.
- ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling (Twitter link) hears from a source that Dogra and Brzezinski were seen talking cordially in Indianapolis on Saturday after their altercation earlier in the week (detailed below). Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities (Twitter link) conveys a similar sentiment, reporting that there’s a “mutual respect” between the two, and they’ll be “fine.”
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com suggests that if the Vikings were to guarantee a portion of Peterson’s salary for the next season or two, it would go a long way toward settling the stand-off between the two sides (Twitter link). I have to think the running back would need to take a pay cut as part of that agreement for the team to consider it.
- Peterson’s father, Nelson Peterson, tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that his son remains open to playing for the Vikings again, despite the reported comments from his agent. “He hasn’t closed the door on saying, ‘I won’t play for the Vikings.’” the elder Peterson said. “He hasn’t demanded a trade.”
Earlier updates:
- Accoring to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, Peterson’s agent Ben Dogra had to be separated from a member of the Vikings’ front office during a “heated verbal altercation” at the combine. Multiple sources tell La Canfora that Vikings VP Rob Brzezinski was the executive in question, and that Dogra made it clear during the exchange that his client would never play in Minnesota again.
- Sources tell La Canfora that Peterson has lost faith and trust in the Vikings franchise after their handling of his situation, as he spent most of the 2014 season on the commissioner’s exempt list. “He will never play another game for the Vikings,” one person close to Peterson said to La Canfora. “It’s over.”
- Addressing the recent reports on Peterson, including La Canfora’s, Michael Rand of the Star Tribune tries to figure out what to make of them, noting that both sides are trying to gain leverage in what figures to be a tricky situation.
- Discussing potential suitors for Peterson if he’s traded or cut, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (video link) identifies the Cowboys, Colts, and Jets as teams that may be interested.