Adrian Peterson

NFC Notes: Vikings, Saints, 49ers, Packers, Hill

August 1st, 2015 at 6:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

As we head into Saturday night, here’s the latest from around the NFC.

Panthers wideout Stephen Hill‘s bad week worsened Saturday in the form of a right leg injury that resulted in him being carted off the field, according to Steve Reed of the Associated Press. This comes a few days after his marijuana-related citation. Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer tweeted Hill’s status “doesn’t look good.” He has to be considered a longshot to play in North Carolina this season, considering what’s happened this week and the players residing ahead of the former second-round pick on the Panthers’ depth chart.
A starter at right tackle in Minnesota’s final five games last season, Mike Harris will receive the first crack at earning the Vikings‘ starting right guard job, coach Mike Zimmer confirmed to media (via Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune). Rookie T.J. Clemmings also figures to factor in there, but Harris has started 17 games since arriving in the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2012.
Adrian Peterson‘s game-action drought will likely continue until the Vikings take the field for the regular season, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com reports. Although this means the running back’s time without having suited up for a game will last more than a year, with the Vikings’ opener coming Sept. 14, Peterson hasn’t carried the ball in a preseason game since 2011.
Saints coach Sean Payton was not surprised by the suspension given to tight end Orson Charles‘ one-game suspension for a road-rage incident, telling media (including NOLA.com’s Evan Woodberry), “We were on top of all of that. None of that was a surprise, “Payton said. “He’s been very forthright in communicating. He’s been very open with the league and with ourselves.” Charles has started six games in three seasons, each coming with the Bengals as a rookie in 2012.
As part of his reworked contract, fifth-year 49er Aldon Smith collected a $300K roster bonus Saturday. The perpetually afoul-with-the-league linebacker’s earned $800K in bonuses since April 1, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Sean Richardson‘s eventful offseason continued Saturday, with the safety receiving a $200K bonus for being on the roster on the third day of Packers training camp, per ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky (via Twitter). The Packers matched the Raiders’ $2.55MM contract offer and kept Richardson in Green Bay for another season.

NFC Notes: Peterson, Panthers, Levy, Dez

July 27th, 2015 at 3:06pm CST by Luke Adams

A couple reports this offseason suggested that Adrian Peterson was at least briefly contemplating retirement, but it doesn’t sound like the Vikings running back is leaning toward leaving the game anytime soon. Speaking to Peter King of TheMMQB.com, Peterson said he feels like he can continue playing until he’s “36 or 37 years old — and at a high level.”

Here’s more from around the NFC:

The Panthers have finalized contract extensions for a number of key players this offseason, including quarterback Cam Newton, linebacker Thomas Davis, and tight end Greg Olsen. Linebacker Luke Kuechly appears to be next in line for a new deal, but if the two sides don’t reach an agreement within the next few weeks, it’ll have to wait until 2016. Panthers GM Dave Gettleman tells Bill Voth of the Black and Blue Review that he won’t negotiate extensions during the season: “Once the regular season begins, that’s it.”
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) believes there’s a good chance the Lions lock up linebacker DeAndre Levy to a new contract at some point before the season begins. According to Rapoport, Detroit views Levy as an “essential” piece.
One source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report that the way the Cowboys structured Dez Bryant‘s new contract to protect themselves is “brilliant.” However, Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News argues that Cole’s report overstates the concerns the Cowboys have about the star receiver’s off-field conduct.
Byron Maxwell‘s name usually doesn’t come up when NFL fans and observers debate the top cornerbacks in the league. But after the Eagles signed him to a deal that pays him like a top-five corner, Maxwell is confident that he can be in that mix, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Following New Orleans’ release of pass rusher Junior Galette, Bill Barnwell of Grantland examines the Saints‘ cap situation, openly wondering about Drew Brees‘ future with the franchise.

Extra Points: Rice, Peterson, Bell, Miller

July 25th, 2015 at 5:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ray Rice is exhausting his NFL contacts in an effort to secure a chance at reviving his career, Ed Werder of ESPN.com reports.

The embattled running back and his former coach at Rutgers, Greg Schiano, among others, are making contact with teams in hopes of the 28-year-old runner resuming his once-promising tenure in the league. Werder reported one team was seriously interested in offering a deal to Rice but balked due to the potential backlash after video of his domestic assault on his then-fiancee/now-wife emerged last September.

Money is not motivating the former Pro Bowler here, according to Werder, with Rice having earned in excess of $20MM in his career.

Rice seeks the same second chance his 2014 suspended compatriots Adrian Peterson and Greg Hardy have. Of course, those two players have more recent track records of success than Rice, whose position is arguably the easiest non-specialty role to replace. Per Werder, NFL GMs view Rice as a declining player at a young man’s position. His yards per carry, which had hovered above four per tote in each of his first four seasons, dipped to 3.1 in 2013.

Here are some other news items from the league on the final Saturday without eventful NFL action for nearly seven months.

Despite staunch holdout threats this offseason before finally agreeing to rejoin the Vikings, Peterson said would have played out the season on his previously nonguaranteed contract, reports Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “I’m definitely happy,’’ Peterson told media at Vikings training camp in Mankato, Minn. “If (this week’s restructuring didn’t occur), I’d would have just been like, you know what, I’ll just play this year out and not redo the contract. I’m happy to be a Viking.” It’s doubtful the 30-year-old running back iterated that stance to Vikings management, but the team will have its star running back in a more content state this season after he missed almost all of the last. Peterson’s new deal guarantees him $13MM this season and $7MM against injury in 2016.
Le’Veon Bell is still awaiting an appeal date for his marijuana-induced suspension, reports Dan Hanzus of NFL.com. The Steelers‘ breakout backfield star is set to miss three games.
Ohio State standout Braxton Miller‘s switch to H-back may help his NFL draft status. The top-10 Heisman Trophy finalist in 2012 and 2013 has been playing at his new spot for three months after missing the 2014 season, reports Pete Thamel of SI.com. According to one NFL scout interviewed by CBS Sports’ Dane Brugler, this will enhance the senior’s earning potential come 2016. “We currently have two grades on him, one as an ‘athlete’ and one as a quarterback,” an NFC scout told Brugler. “The grade of him as an athlete is much…better. Because that’s when he’s at his best – with the ball in his hand.
Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones isn’t exactly pleased with the progress made by the league this offseason in terms of rectifying the catch process, according to Dallasnews.com. In a lengthy analysis, Jones said there is still “some work to do” on avoiding controversial ruling like the one involving Dez Bryant that essentially eliminated the Cowboys from the playoffs in January.
Jameis Winston‘s trial in a sexual battery lawsuit won’t occur until May 2017, according to a Tampa Bay Times report. The alleged incident occurred in December 2012. The Buccaneers‘ No. 1 overall pick was not charged or arrested for this reported incident.

Mike Zimmer On Vikings Offseason, Peterson, Offense

July 25th, 2015 at 11:29am CST by Ben Levine

The Vikings didn’t make many notable moves via free agency this offseason, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t active. The team got rid of quarterbacks Matt Cassel and Christian Ponder, and they also brought in wideout Mike Wallace. They welcomed ten draft picks to the organization, agreed to an extension with center John Sullivan, and restructured Adrian Peterson‘s three-year deal.

Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune sat down with head coach Mike Zimmer to discuss the team’s offseason moves and his outlook for next season. We’ve collected some of the notable quotes below…

On the team seemingly ignoring free agency and prioritizing the draft:

“When you get involved in free agency, you’re paying players an awful lot of money, No. 1. And you don’t really know. It could be the system that helped them. You don’t know their personality, their work ethic, how they are in the locker room with chemistry. You try to find these things out, but you don’t really know. At least with young players, if you do make a mistake, it’s a lot cheaper. And all the work that the scouts and everybody does, getting a chance to interview the players at the combine and see them in person moving around, I just think it’s the more proven way to go.”

On the Adrian Peterson extension:

“We just thought it was beneficial for both sides that we got this done. He’s proved that he’s an integral part of this organization and in the state of Minnesota. He also went through some hard times, as did we. It was a good gesture on both sides to get it done.”

On the “additions” of Peterson (suspension), Kyle Rudolph (injury) and Mike Wallace (trade), and how the trio will help the offense:

“The possibilities are there and those are the things that excite you, that you have some players with some talent and ability. But then we have to go out there and do it and prove it. If I was trying to defend us, there would be a number of weapons that you would have to take care of, and I think that’s always good. The more weapons that people have a hard time taking away from you, it opens up more things for you. It’s almost pick your poison.”

Details On Adrian Peterson’s Reworked Deal

July 23rd, 2015 at 8:19am CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 8:19am: Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post has slightly different figures on Peterson’s new contract in his breakdown of the deal, writing that the base value is $42MM rather than $44MM. The discrepancy appears to be related to the amount of the 2016 roster bonus, which Wilson says is just $3MM instead of $5MM.

According to Wilson, the escalators in the pact are dependent on Peterson’s rushing yards and the Vikings’ playoff success.

TUESDAY, 3:41pm: After providing some initial figures on Adrian Peterson‘s restructured deal with the Vikings earlier today, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk now has the full details of Peterson’s contract, reporting the following information:

In 2015, Peterson will earn a $2MM roster bonus next Tuesday (July 28), plus a fully guaranteed $11MM base salary.
In 2016, Peterson has a $7.75MM base salary. $7MM is guaranteed for injury only for now, but that salary becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2016 league year. Peterson would also earn a $5MM roster bonus on that day, if he remains under contract.
In 2017, Peterson has a non-guaranteed $11.75MM base salary, plus a $6MM roster bonus due on the third day of the league year.
In 2016 and 2017, Peterson can earn $250K workout bonuses, bringing the total three-year value of the contract to $44MM, slightly down from the $44.75MM base value of his old deal.
There are also various escalators and de-escalators in 2015 and 2016 that could increase or reduce Peterson’s earning by about $2MM, per Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link).

In other words, the deal doesn’t necessarily ensure that Peterson will be in Minnesota beyond 2015, but it makes it likely, barring a significant dip in production this year. If the Vikings decide to move on from Peterson in 2016 or 2017, they’d have to make that decision very early in the league year, allowing the running back to hit free agency when plenty of teams would still have cap room available.

North Notes: Peterson, Bengals, Tucker

July 22nd, 2015 at 5:36pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of Adrian Peterson‘s new deal with the Vikings yesterday, Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports took an in-depth look at Peterson’s offseason. According to Robinson, before the Vikings running back rejoined the team and got his new contract, he thought at length about a trade, retirement, and even the possibility of returning to his sprinting roots and making a run at the 2016 Olympics. That last idea may have been more of a dream than a plausible alternative, but it’s a moot point now, as Peterson ultimately decided to return to the Vikings for at least the 2015 season.

Of course, Vikings general manager Rick Spielman ensured that returning to Minnesota was the most viable solution for Peterson, with sources telling Robinson that Spielman “never wavered” on his stance to hang on to the former MVP. While Spielman’s position may have been a result of a lack of legit trade offers for Peterson, Robinson says that some inside the franchise believe that even a massive offer wouldn’t have made the GM change his mind.

Let’s check in on a few more items from out of the NFL’s two North divisions….

Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer (on Twitter) feels that the Bengals failed to address their tight end depth this offseason. While Tyler Kroft could be capable of producing in 2015, it’s hard to count on a rookie to contribute right out of the gate. The lack of depth for the Bengals puts added pressure of Tyler Eifert to give the Bengals a full, healthy season, something he hasn’t been able to do so far, Dehner tweets.
Now that Stephen Gostkowski has received a long-term deal from the Patriots, it should just be a matter of time before the Ravens and Justin Tucker work out a similar deal, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll happen soon though, as Hensley observes, noting that the franchise tag is a possibility for the Baltimore kicker in 2016, if he has yet to sign an extension by March.
The Packers opened up their own books this week and that info revealed that NFL teams each received $226.4MM from the NFL as part of revenue sharing from the 2014 fiscal year, Darren Rovell of ESPN.com writes. The total surpassed $7.2 billion and comes mostly from the league’s television deals.
Earlier today, we continued our Offseason in Review series with an examination of the Bears‘ moves over the last few months.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Vikings, Adrian Peterson Restructure Contract

July 21st, 2015 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

1:09pm: According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Peterson’s new deal includes $20MM in guaranteed money, though some of that money is guaranteed for injury only. While Florio doesn’t have the official details yet, he speculates that Peterson’s 2015 salary (approximately $13MM) is likely fully guaranteed, while a portion of his 2016 salary is guaranteed for injury, and will later become fully guaranteed.

12:07pm: As expected, the restructured deal will give Peterson additional guaranteed money in 2015 and 2016, tweets Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports. According to Robinson, Peterson’s 2017 salary will still be non-guaranteed, though if the new contract features a signing bonus, that would mean adding some dead money to the team’s books for ’17.

11:57am: The Vikings and running back Adrian Peterson have mutually agreed to restructure the final three years of Peterson’s contract, the team announced today in a press release. The terms of the agreement weren’t released by the club, but the move – which GM Rick Spielman calls “a win” for both the team and the player – likely ensures that Peterson will get some guaranteed money this year and next year.

“I appreciate the Vikings for working together on this restructured contract, which provides additional security for me but also allows opportunities for me to further prove my value to the team and within the NFL,” Peterson said in a statement. “It was important for me to continue my career in Minnesota, and I cannot wait to get on the field in front of Vikings fans again.”

The relationship between Peterson and the Vikings was strained earlier this offseason, with multiple reports suggesting that the running back and his agent Ben Dogra were angling for a trade after Peterson was reinstated from his suspension. However, Minnesota’s brass repeatedly stated that the team was not considering such a move, and after the draft came and went without a deal, Dogra and his client appeared to shift their focus to securing additional guaranteed money. In late May, Peterson ranted on Twitter about the lack of guaranteed contracts in the NFL.

Although Peterson had been scheduled to earn base salaries of $12.75MM, $14.75MM, and $16.75MM from 2015 to 2017, none of those figures were fully or even partially guaranteed. Additionally, the 30-year-old’s deal didn’t feature any dead money on the Vikings’ cap beyond this season, which would have made it easy for the team to move on from him if his production had fallen off.

Peterson, of course, missed nearly all of the 2014 season after being indicted in a child injury case. The Vikings running back spent most of the year on paid leave on the commissioner’s exempt list before being suspended for the final six games of the regular season once his legal case was resolved. Peterson reportedly felt that the team didn’t sufficiently support him during his absence, which led to the acrimonious relationship between the two sides this spring.

Ultimately, Peterson and the Vikings appeared to mend fences to some extent when the former MVP reported to OTAs without a new deal in place. Now that his contract has been reworked, I imagine Peterson will be even happier with his situation when he reports to training camp in the coming days.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Vikings Notes: Peterson, Zimmer, Barr, Crichton

June 14th, 2015 at 5:38pm CST by Ben Levine

Barring an unexpected move, star running back Adrian Peterson will be playing for the Vikings in 2015. His wife, Ashley, told ESPN.com’s Tania Ganguli that she’s happy her husband is back with Minnesota, but that she would have preferred to move closer to her home in Oklahoma.

“I am happy that he’ll be going back,” she said. “They have supported us. I just would personally, for me, I would’ve preferred to be closer to home. That’s just a personal preference for me. The Vikings have been supportive of him and the fans have been pretty supportive, so we’re happy to be going back.”

When asked if her opinion has anything to do with how the organization treated her husband, Ashley gave a vague response:

“Well, the thing is, kind of, but you never know how that would’ve played out with anyone else. Just kind of have to go with the flow on that. I personally would’ve preferred to be closer to my family. I’m having a baby and all that.”

Let’s check out some other notes from the North Star State…

Head coach Mike Zimmer doesn’t have a particular “style” or “scheme,” but Jim Souhan of the Star Tribune writes that the outlook is refreshing. Previous Vikings coaches have ultimately been unsuccessful with their particular philosophies, but Zimmer’s “fly by the seat of my pants” attitude is exactly what the organization needs. “I just try to be myself,” he said. “My only strategy was that, especially around the defense, I wanted to show them that in the meeting rooms and by the way I’m teaching them with the tape and with techniques, that they can believe that I can coach.”
Linebacker Anthony Barr has been present for the team’s OTAs, but a knee injury has prevented the former first-rounder from participating. While the second-year player had arthroscopic knee surgery following last season, FoxSports.com’s Brian Hall writes that Barr is currently struggling with a separate injury. “He’s got another injury, but I really don’t want to talk about it,” Zimmer said. “He’s going to be fine.”
Defensive end Scott Crichton struggled during his rookie campaign as he adjusted to the Vikings’ system. ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling says the second-year player has surprised during OTAs, and his head coach has also noticed the improvement. “He’s not thinking so much,” Zimmer said. “He’s more attacking and then playing football as opposed to thinking and then playing football. In a lot of those ways he’s improved a lot. We’ve moved him inside some and he’s flashed a little bit in there, but again, I’m being cautious with my evaluations.”

NFC Notes: AP, Bridgewater, Dotson, Cowboys

June 13th, 2015 at 5:54pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater had a solid rookie year despite being without the services of six-time Pro Bowl running back Adrian Peterson, who missed all but one game in 2014 because of domestic-violence issues. The newly reinstated Peterson is hoping his return will help Bridgewater’s game reach new heights this season.

“Hopefully my presence will be able to lose a guy or two by bringing guys in that focus on stopping the run,” Peterson said, per ESPN’s Tania Ganguli.

Peterson won’t just aid Bridgewater as a runner, but he’s expecting to be a useful option in the passing game.

“With coach [Norv] Turner’s offense, there’s so much that he throws out there, so I’ll be more involved in the pass game, being out wide, presenting myself for Teddy to check down,” said the 30-year-old.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

Buccaneers right tackle Demar Dotson is optimistic that ending his brief holdout and reporting to minicamp next week will help him get the new contract he’s seeking. “I think we can get a deal done pretty quickly,” Dotson said, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. “We were pretty close before. I’m hoping if I show up we can get it done. I really don’t want to miss any workouts or training camp.” Dotson, 29, has two years remaining on his contract, but he’s just the 22nd-highest-paid right tackle in the NFL. That doesn’t jibe with his on-field performance, as Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked the six-year veteran an impressive 28th among 84 qualifying offensive tackles last season.
Thanks to DeMarco Murray‘s departure in free agency, the Cowboys don’t have a clear No. 1 running back as the summer nears, but offensive coordinator Scott Linehan believes someone – be it Darren McFadden, Joseph Randle or Ryan Williams – will separate himself from the pack and earn the job as the team’s go-to ball carrier. “I think before it’s all said and done, that person will rise to the top. What’s interesting and exciting is that we’re going to find out,” said Linehan, according to Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News.
When asked if the Lions’ addition of Garrett Gilbert meant that backup quarterback Dan Orlovsky could be on the way out, Dave Birkett of MLive.com responded that the chances of that happening are slim (via Twitter).

Rob DiRe contributed to this post.

NFC Links: Vereen, Foles, Cowboys, Vikings

June 6th, 2015 at 10:22am CST by Rob DiRe

It was presumably a tough decision for running back Shane Vereen to leave the Super Bowl-winning Patriots to join the Giants. The tough choice may have ultimately come down to the G-Men wanting the running back more, and the various recruiting calls, including one from Odell Beckham Jr., clearly left an impression with the 26-year-old.

“I asked around [about the Giants] with guys who played here, a couple guys in California I work out with, and previously I had met Odell [Beckham, Jr.],” Vereen said (via MMQB’s Jenny Vrentas). “So I hit them up, trying to talk to them and learn things I didn’t know. They filled me in.

“[Beckham Jr.] said it was a young team with a lot of talent. He loves it here, and he was excited for this upcoming season. That was really all I needed to hear. I love when guys are excited to be somewhere. That makes me want to be there and excited for the growth.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFC…

Nick Foles may have wore out his welcome with the Eagles, but the Rams are excited to have him. The receivers are especially thrilled, writes Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. Two top targets, Kenny Britt and Jared Cook, both expressed their enthusiasm for the new quarterback’s abilities.
The running back position for the Cowboys is in flux, and Lance Dunbar will be fighting Ryan Williams for a spot on the roster again this season, according to Bob Sturm of DallasNews.com. Dunbar’s a limited player, but his abilities on special teams should give him the edge on Williams in terms of a roster spot.
New Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer walked into a tough situation amid the ongoing feud between Adrian Peterson and the organization. However, has has handled it quite brilliantly, without looking like a puppet for management or sucking up to Peterson, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com. “A lot of it was … It was tough for Adrian. It was tough for the Vikings, as well. So trying to be fair to both sides was important,” Zimmer said. “I always want to support my players, and still do the best thing for our football team.”

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

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