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Adrian Peterson

A. Peterson Interested In Texans, Bucs, Giants

January 19th, 2017 at 1:49pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

With his tenure in Minnesota potentially set to end this offseason, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson already has a few potential employers on his radar. The seven-time Pro Bowler revealed Thursday on ESPN that he’s interested in the Texans, Buccaneers and Giants.

Adrian Peterson (vertical)

Of course, in order for Peterson to join another team, the Vikings are going to have to part with him first. The soon-to-be 32-year-old stated that he’d like to remain a Viking. That would require a construct restructuring, though, as Peterson’s slated for an $11.75MM salary and $18MM cap number in 2017. Those are each unpalatable figures given his age and injury-truncated 2016, which saw him tear his meniscus in Week 2 and rack up a meager 72 yards on 37 carries.

With a $6MM roster bonus due March 11, an answer on Peterson’s future is coming soon, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Considering Peterson isn’t a fan of going through the offseason program and training camp, he could force his release and sign with a club closer to the start of the regular season, Florio observes.

Of the franchises Peterson is targeting, Houston stands out as the one that clearly isn’t a fit. While the Texans play in Peterson’s home state, they already have a starting running back in Lamar Miller, whom they gave $14MM in guarantees on a four-year, $26MM deal in free agency last winter.

The Bucs also doled out big money to a back a year ago in re-signing Doug Martin, but his future with the team is in question as a result of a late-2016 suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. In addition to costing him one game this season and three in 2017, the ban voided Martin’s $7MM in guarantees for next season. Theoretically, then, Tampa Bay could jettison him for Peterson if it wants.

The Giants, meanwhile, have a slew of rushers, though there might not be a bell cow among them. Paul Perkins, who had a decent rookie year, stands out as the most promising back New York has. Veterans Rashad Jennings and Shane Vereen could end up on the chopping block this offseason. Even if they don’t, neither is a No. 1-caliber rusher.

Peterson, on the other hand, is one of the premier backs in NFL history. Although his 2016 was nightmarish, he isn’t far removed from winning the league’s rushing title in 2015.

Vikings Rule Out Adrian Peterson For Saturday

December 23rd, 2016 at 11:52am CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings face the Packers on Saturday but they will not have Adrian Peterson on the field with them. The running back has been ruled out for the game, the team announced.

Peterson tore his meniscus in the second game of the season and his status for the rest of 2016 was very much in doubt. Miraculously, he had a quicker-than-expected recovery from surgery and managed to return this month. Unfortunately, he suffered a groin injury in his return.

Now, the Vikings have just a 3% chance of making the playoffs and it doesn’t make a ton of sense for Peterson to put himself in jeopardy. His status for Week 17 is currently unknown, but a loss on Saturday could lead to Peterson sitting out, regardless of his health.

Peterson had a dreadful start to the season before his injury and he didn’t look much better in his return on Dec. 18. Now, there’s talk that the Vikings will likely not pay Peterson’s $6MM roster bonus and instead will approach him about a pay cut prior to the bonus coming due.

NFC Notes: Eagles, Linehan, Bradford

December 18th, 2016 at 12:27pm CST by Rory Parks

The Eagles have fallen into a tailspin after an exciting start to the season, and that has led to some speculation as to whether the team will make any major changes this offseason. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Philadelphia will not make any such changes, which means that head coach Doug Pederson will be back for a second year at the helm. Per Rapoport, the front office knew going into 2016 that the club was at least a year away from being a legitimate playoff contender, and while the Eagles’ 3-0 start helped to hide some of the weaknesses on the roster, the team knew that fixing those weaknesses would not be an overnight process.

Now for more notes from the NFC:

  • Despite Dak Prescott‘s recent struggles, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that things would have to get much worse for the Cowboys to consider switching to Tony Romo. But Rapoport adds that Dallas OC Scott Linehan will be a sought-after head coaching candidate this offseason, and his departure could have a major impact on Prescott moving forward (Twitter link).
  • As the Ezekiel Elliott domestic violence investigation drags on, Tim Rohan of TheMMQB wonders why it’s taking so long, and if the league is just prolonging the process to keep up appearances. Rohan lays out in excellent detail the steps that the league’s investigative team takes in a post-Ray Rice world, and how that process could explain the lengthy delay in the NFL’s issuing a final word on the Cowboys‘ star running back.
  • Su’a Cravens may miss the rest of the season with a biceps injury, but that has not stopped speculation surrounding the young defensive playmaker and how he will fit in with the Redskins moving forward. Thus far, Cravens has worked exclusively as an inside linebacker, but given his strength in the passing game, JP Finlay of CSNMidAtlantic.com believes he may ultimately be better-suited as a safety, especially since the Redskins do not have a long-term answer at strong safety.
  • As Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports observes, the Vikings have two high-profile players who are due for big roster bonuses in March: Sam Bradford and Adrian Peterson. Per Pelissero, Minnesota plans to bring back Bradford, but as we have heard for a long time, the Vikings will likely not pay Peterson’s $6MM roster bonus and instead will approach him about a pay cut prior to the bonus coming due.
  • We learned earlier today that the Saints could look to trade Sean Payton in the offseason.

Vikings Officially Activate Adrian Peterson

December 17th, 2016 at 11:41am CST by Ben Levine

We’ve been hearing it for days, but now it’s official: Adrian Peterson is back. The Vikings announced (via Twitter) that the star running back has been activated from the injured reserve. To make room on the roster, the team has waived defensive tackle Toby Johnson.

Adrian PetersonPeterson returned to practice this week, making him the Vikings’ designated player to return from IR. Yesterday, the 31-year-old declared that he was ready to play this weekend against the Colts. Sunday will be Peterson’s first game since September, when the running back was sidelined with a torn meniscus. Up to that point in the season, Peterson had only run for 50 yards on 31 carries. Of course, the 10-year veteran is one of the most productive running backs in NFL history. In fact, Peterson led the NFL with 1,485 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns in 2015.

“I’m extremely hungry to get out there and help these guys win. That’s what it’s all about,” Peterson said (via Craig Peters of Vikings.com). “That’s why I do it.

“It’s not for yards or anything like that. It’s for the guys in this locker room, the sweat during training camp and OTAs,” Peterson added. “We’re brothers, we’re family. We spend so much time with each other, even more than with family, so the reason I’ve fought so hard to get back is for the guys like Chad Greenway, B-Rob (Brian Robison), Terence Newman, all of these guys in this locker room, including the coaching staff.”

The Vikings could certainly use some help, as the team has dropped six of their past eight games after opening the season 5-0. While Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon have filled in admirably during Peterson’s absence, the Vikings still rank last in rushing yards this season (954).

Johnson was added to the team’s active roster earlier this week after the team placed defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd on the injured reserve. The 25-year-old has been on the team’s practice squad all season, and he’ll presumably rejoin the organization if he clears waivers.

Vikings RB Adrian Peterson To Play This Week

December 16th, 2016 at 1:44pm CST by Zachary Links

Adrian Peterson was hoping to return for Week 16, but it sounds like he is ahead of schedule. Peterson says that he will play Week 15 against the Colts (via Dash Radio). NFL: Minnesota Vikings at St. Louis Rams

The 7-6 Vikings have a 19% chance of making the playoffs, according to Five Thirty Eight. With three games to go against the Colts, Packers, and Bears, the Vikings will probably have to run the table in order to make the postseason.

Peterson wasn’t setting the world on fire before his injury in September, but the Vikings are hoping that they will see the Peterson of old when he takes the field this week. Backups Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata have filled in for No. 28, but they haven’t been able to get anything going on a consistent basis. With any luck, Peterson will keep opposing defenses honest and also open things up for the passing game.

For his career, the three-time NFL rushing champ and 2012 MVP has 11,725 yards and 97 rushing touchdowns on 2,412 carries (4.9 yards per carry).

Adrian Peterson Returns To Practice

December 14th, 2016 at 11:00am CST by Zachary Links

He’s back. Adrian Peterson is on the field practicing with the Vikings this morning, the team announced. The Vikings now have a three-week window to evaluate how Peterson practices before deciding his status. He is now officially the team’s designated player to return from IR.Adrian Peterson (vertical)

Peterson, the Vikes’ all-time leading rusher, has been recovering from a torn meniscus he suffered against the Packers in Week 2. He recently said that he would only return to the Vikings if they were in the playoff hunt and they kept their chances alive on Sunday with a win over the Jaguars.

As the Vikings make their playoff push, they could certainly use Peterson. The question is, which Peterson will they see on the field? Will it be the Peterson who was unstoppable down the stretch of the 2015 season, or will it be the very below-average Peterson that started the 2016 season with 31 carries for just 50 yards? It would be easy to doubt Peterson given how mediocre he looked early on in the year, but he has been counted out before and has always proved the doubters wrong.

The Vikings face the Colts this Sunday, but Peterson has said that he is eyeing the Green Bay game on Christmas Eve for his return.

For his career, the three-time NFL rushing champ and 2012 MVP has 11,725 yards and 97 rushing touchdowns on 2,412 carries (4.9 yards per carry).

Vikings’ Adrian Peterson To Practice This Week

December 13th, 2016 at 11:19am CST by Zachary Links

Last week, Adrian Peterson said that he would not return to the Vikings if they were not in the playoff chase. After getting a W against the Jaguars on Sunday, Peterson is leaning towards taking the field. Peterson says that he to practice this week (link via John Shipley of the Pioneer Press). NFL: Minnesota Vikings at St. Louis Rams

“I plan on practicing this week to really get my legs under me and get a good feel on where I’m at,” he told Dash Radio. “So, this week is going to be big for me. My plan, and my vision, is to be back for the Green Bay game (on Dec. 24). That’s what I’m envisioning. Of course, the perfect scenario would be we win out and I’m able to rest up for three weeks, and be ready for the playoffs. That’s the perfect scenario. But I’ll be out there this week practicing, and I’ll go from there.”

Peterson is attempting to come back from a major tear to his meniscus, which isn’t an easy task. Of course, Peterson has defied the odds in the past and has shown that he can recover from injuries faster than your average human.

Now at 7-6, the Vikings have a slim chance beating out the Packers and toppling the Lions for the NFC North crown, but they still have a 19% overall chance of making the playoffs, according to Five Thirty Eight.

Peterson Won’t Return If Vikings Out Of Playoff Hunt

December 7th, 2016 at 12:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has been working hard to try and return from injury this season. However, he says that he won’t come back this season if the Vikings are out of the playoff race, “for obvious reasons” (Twitter link via Ben Goessling of ESPN.com). He added that he’ll ultimately make the decision about whether to return, Adrian Peterson

After a red-hot start, the Vikings have now slipped to 6-6. If Minnesota drops its next two games, they’ll effectively (or mathematically) be eliminated from the playoff chase. As of this writing, they are bunched together with the Redskins (6-5-1) and Packers (6-6) as they chase the Giants (8-4) and Bucs (7-5) for a Wild Card spot.

When Peterson went down early in the year, it was said that he was unlikely to return at all this year given the severity of his meniscus tear. Typically, a “bucket handle tear” is a season-ender, but Peterson has always been able to recover from injuries faster than most. Recently, fellow Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon said that Peterson is “way ahead” of schedule. That may be true, but there is little reason for the veteran to take the field this year if the Vikings’ games lack meaning.

Even if the Vikings get back on track, it’s fair to wonder what Peterson can provide. Before his injury, Peterson had 31 carries for just 50 yards.

Adrian Peterson To Miss Rest Of Season?

December 1st, 2016 at 6:48pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

While recent developments point toward Adrian Peterson suiting up again in 2016, it’s possible the Vikings’ five-time first-team All-Pro running back could sit out the rest of the season, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

[RELATED: Head coach Mike Zimmer to miss TNF]

Peterson, who suffered a a torn meniscus in Week 2, was on track to return this month as of last week, but both the Vikings’ struggles and his contract status could prevent that from happening. Since starting 5-0, the Vikings have dropped five of six and are currently in eighth place in the NFC. They face the league-best Cowboys (10-1) on Thursday, and another defeat could make a Peterson comeback less likely, per Florio, who doubts the team would rush him back later in the season if it were to continue falling out of playoff contention.

Peterson is still preparing as if he’ll play again this year, a source told Florio, and Ben Goessling of ESPN.com tweets that he could be back in the Vikings’ lineup Dec. 18. Peterson also has the rest of his career to consider, however, as none of the $18MM he’s due in 2017 – his age-32 season – is guaranteed. The Vikings could easily move on from Peterson during the upcoming offseason, then, so it wouldn’t make sense for him to risk further injury down the stretch as part of a team that now looks unlikely to make the playoffs. It’s possible, therefore, that Peterson has played his final snap with the Vikings, who selected him in the first round of the 2007 draft. The ex-Oklahoma Sooner has since become one of the most decorated backs in NFL history, though his reputation suffered when he drew a suspension from the league in 2014. Peterson violated the league’s personal conduct policy in an incident of abusive discipline toward his then-4-year-old son, and he missed 15 of 16 games in 2014 as a result.

Peterson returned last year to reestablish himself as an elite rusher, but he was off to an ugly start this season – 31 carries, 50 yards – before succumbing to injury. The Vikings’ sputtering offense has missed him, though, as the club ranks last in the league in both yards per carry (2.8) and rushing. Eight individual backs have already eclipsed Minnesota’s team total on the ground (782).

NFC North Notes: Bears, Fuller, Vikes, Peterson

November 30th, 2016 at 8:43pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bears announced last week that defensive back Kyle Fuller would be their IR/return player, and Fuller is practicing today for the first time since he was placed on injured reserve in late September. This opens the 21-day window for the team to evaluate the former first-round pick. Chicago head coach John Fox said last week he would be “surprised” if Fuller wasn’t participating in workouts soon, and that level of optimism could be an indication that Fuller could return to game action quickly.

Here’s more out of Chicago:

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