Adrian Peterson

North Notes: Webb, Peterson, Langford

March 3rd, 2015 at 9:43pm CST by Zachary Links

The question was never whether the Ravens would approach Lardarius Webb about a pay reduction, it was whether he would take one, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes. Hensley runs through the different compromises the two sides could reach and ultimately concludes that the Ravens’ best outcome will be for the two sides to find some middle ground. Even if Webb agrees to a pay cut, however, his contract will be an issue next offseason. Baltimore can gain $6MM of cap room by releasing the cornerback in 2016. More from the North divisions..

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is scheduled to fly to Houston on Wednesday to meet with Adrian Peterson to discuss the embattled superstar’s future with the team, two people with knowledge of the plan told Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Vikings GM Rick Spielman is also expected to make the trip to participate in what would be the first face-to-face meeting between the two sides in months.
Kendall Langford‘s visit with the Lions went well but he’ll continue visiting other teams, according to Nick Wagoner of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (on Twitter). The former Rams defensive lineman will visit the Jets next, followed by the Saints. Langford, who turned 29 last month, inked a four-year, $22MM deal with the Rams in 2012 but was cut late last month.
Vikings linemen Tom Johnson and Joe Berger both played for the minimum salary last season and both are seeking raises this offseason, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. Johnson’s agent says that the Vikings are his client’s first choice, but he’ll be seeking a three- or four-year deal in “the right situation and right system.” Johnson, 30, finished second on the team last season with 6.5 sacks.

North Notes: Steelers, Worilds, Peterson, Suh

March 2nd, 2015 at 10:46pm CST by Zachary Links

The Steelers have yet to finalize a restructuring of Maurkice Pouncey‘s contract, the NFLPA tells Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (via Twitter). Pouncey’s current deal takes him through the 2019 season with a $8.1MM cap number in 2015. A full restructure of his deal would save the Steelers $3.8MM in cap space in 2015. More from the North divisions..

If Jason Worilds signs elsewhere, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (on Twitter) expects the Steelers to go after a pass-rushing outside linebacker in free agency and still use a high pick on one in the draft.
Vikings GM Rick Spielman says the team has communicated with Adrian Peterson, as Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. “We’ve had open dialogue,’’ Spielman said, while declining to say who has spoken with the running back. “I’ll just leave it at that.”
Spielman wouldn’t comment on contract renegotiations with Chad Greenway other than saying, “He’s under contract. There’s no deadline. We’re under the cap,” according to Tomasson (via Twitter). Greenway, 32, is due to make $7MM in 2015 with the Vikings. Last year, he missed time thanks to a broken hand and busted ribs.
The Ndamukong Suh situation shows the complication of simple contract restructurings, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. The Lions ultimately didn’t use the franchise tag on Suh because things snowballed to the point where they would have had to invest $26.9MM for one more year with him. Next year, the Steelers could face a similar situation with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Though he’ll make only $11.6MM in 2015, his cap number of $18.395MM will result in a franchise tag of $22.074MM in 2016 thanks to the restructurings.

Adrian Peterson Returns To Exempt List

February 28th, 2015 at 11:25am CST by Luke Adams

SATURDAY, 11:25 am: Peterson has released a statement regarding the judge’s ruling, but he doesn’t mention the league’s anticipated appeal (via the Vikings website):

“I was pleased to learn about Judge Doty’s decision. It is a positive step in protecting players’ rights and preserving due process for all players. It also brings me one step closer to getting back on the football field and playing the sport I love. As I prepare for my return to football, I am still focused on my family and continue to work to become a better father every day. I want to express my gratitude for all of the support I have received from the fans, NFLPA, Jeffrey Kessler, and my agents Ben Dogra, Tracy Lartigue, and Mark Heligman from Relativity Sports.”

THURSDAY, 5:21pm: The Vikings released a statement regarding Peterson (via Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune on Twitter):

“Adrian Peterson is an important member of the Minnesota Vikings, and our focus remains on welcoming him back when he is able to rejoin our organization. Today’s ruling leaves Adrian’s status under the control of the NFL, the NFLPA and the legal system, and we will have no further comment at this time.”

4:17pm: The league has officially announced that it believes Judge Doty’s ruling on Peterson is “incorrect” and confirmed it has filed an appeal to have the decision reviewed by the Eight Circuit Court (Twitter link via Garafolo). In the meantime, the Vikings running back has been placed back on the commissioner’s exempt list.

2:23pm: The NFL is expected to appeal the ruling handed down by Judge Doty, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

12:04pm: The NFLPA has released the following statement in response to today’s ruling from Judge Doty:

“This is a victory for the rule of law, due process and fairness. Our collective bargaining agreement has rules for implementation of the personal conduct policy and when those rules are violated, our union always stands up to protect our players’ rights. This is yet another example why neutral arbitration is good for our players, good for the owners and good for our game.”

11:29am: Judge David Doty has ruled in favor of the NFL Players Association and Adrian Peterson, granting the union’s motion to overturn the decision on the running back’s suspension, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link). As Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets, that means Peterson should have his suspension lifted and will be reinstated, well before the April 15 date the NFL had originally planned on.

After Peterson’s legal case concluded in the fall, he was removed from the commissioner’s exempt list and was suspended for the remainder of the 2014 season, with no opportunity to be reinstated until April. Arbitrator Harold Henderson upheld the league’s ruling, but the NFLPA challenged Henderson’s decision, arguing that the NFL had arbitrarily changed its rules when it disciplined Peterson. It seems Doty agreed with that assessment.

While being reinstated several weeks early wouldn’t have an impact on whether or not Peterson will return to the field for 2015 – which he would have done either way – the decision should significantly affect the Vikings’ plans for him. When it looked as if Peterson wouldn’t be reinstated until at least April 15, Minnesota retained a certain amount of leverage, since the number of potential suitors for the 29-year-old would been limited — most clubs would have completed their major free agent spending by that point.

Now that Peterson figures to return to the Vikings’ active roster immediately, the team will likely make a decision on him around the time the free agent period begins. The former MVP currently counts for a $15.4MM cap hit on the Vikings’ 2015 books, and it’s unlikely the club will want to carry such a large figure for a running back who essentially sat out the entire 2014 season. The two sides could begin discussing the possibility of a pay cut, a contract restructure, or a trade, with an eye toward reaching a resolution sometime in the near future.

Of course, as is often the case with legal proceedings, Doty’s decision doesn’t necessarily signal the end of the ongoing Peterson saga. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk tweets, the NFL has appeal rights on the judge’s ruling. Albert Breer of the NFL Network notes (via Twitter) that the league can seek an injunction to keep Peterson from being reinstated. For now, the league has simply said that it is reviewing Doty’s decision, and hasn’t suggested whether or not that decision will be challenged.

It wouldn’t be a total surprise if the NFL elected to stand down and cut its losses at this point, recognizing that Peterson will be back on the field in September regardless of whether his reinstatement comes in February or April. But it’s not a good look for the league to be overruled on this matter after having the same thing happened during Ray Rice‘s case back in November.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

North Notes: Felton, Peterson, Canty, Suh

February 27th, 2015 at 2:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio today, former Vikings fullback Jerome Felton, who opted out of his contract at season’s end, said he has talked to his old team about the possibility of a reunion (Twitter link). Felton went on to say he wouldn’t close the door on re-signing with the Vikings, though it sounds as if a possible return for the veteran fullback may hinge on whether or not Adrian Peterson stays with the team. Felton has, of course, been Peterson’s lead blocker since 2012, earning a Pro Bowl nod during the season in which the MVP ran for nearly 2,100 yards.

Here’s more on Peterson, along with a few more items from out of the NFL’s two North divisions:

Barring something unexpected, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link) expects Peterson to ultimately end up with the Vikings, Cowboys, Colts, or Cardinals for the 2015 season.
Although the Ravens released veteran defensive lineman Chris Canty today, he expects to continue playing in 2015, and Baltimore hasn’t ruled out the possibility of bringing him back at a lesser salary, according to GM Ozzie Newsome. “We certainly would not close the door to Chris coming back to us,” Newsome said (Twitter link via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com).
If the Lions shell out the money necessary to keep Ndamukong Suh locked up for multiple seasons, it may be a big gamble for the franchise, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. As Birkett outlines, teams in similar situations in the past have had mixed results when making a big investment in a star player.
Birkett has a second piece on Suh today for the Free Press, identifying the Raiders, Jaguars, Colts, and Jets as the likeliest suitors for the star defensive linemen if he doesn’t return to the Lions.

Extra Points: Bush, Peterson, Skrine

February 26th, 2015 at 9:35pm CST by Zachary Links

Reggie Bush is available, but he’s not the answer to the Saints‘ problems, Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune writes. Bush was the very first draft pick Sean Payton’s nine-year tenure in New Orleans, but they’re probably prioritizing a new deal for the 25-year-old Mark Ingram instead.

The Saints remain saddled with the NFL’s worst cap situation at more than $21MM over, which makes adding a running back entering his age-30 season probably a non-starter.

In other news around the league …

Money is the overlooked factor in the drama between Adrian Peterson and the Vikings, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. Peterson might be unhappy with perceived slights from the organization, but the reality is that he could earn $12.75MM with the Vikings in 2015 and it’s not clear if another team would pay him that much, especially after giving up whatever is necessary in compensation to the Vikings in a trade.
Wide receiver Kevin Dorsey, who was cut by the Packers last week along with tight end Brandon Bostick, has three more visits with teams scheduled for next week after meeting with the Patriots, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
Browns cornerback Buster Skrine is attracting plenty of interest from other teams, sources told Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Serving as the No. 2 corner to Joe Haden on last season’s No. 8-ranked pass defense that didn’t get much out of No. 8 overall pick Justin Gilbert, the soon-to-be 26-year-old Skrine could command as much as $7MM per year, per Cabot, on the free agent market headlined by Brandon Flowers, Kareem Jackson and Byron Maxwell.
The Bucs hired Paul Spicer as assistant defensive line coach, per the Baltimore Sun’s Wilson on Twitter. A former Jaguars defensive end, Spicer previously served as the Jaguars assistant DL coach and played under current Tampa Bay defensive line coach Joe Cullen for the Jags.

Luke Adams and Sam Robinson contributed to this report

Tuesday Roundup: Cassel, Winston, Peterson

February 24th, 2015 at 8:38pm CST by Rory Parks

Vikings GM Rick Spielman said that nothing definitive has been decided about bringing Matt Cassel back to the team, but Spielman was complimentary of his veteran signal-caller when discussing him earlier this week. “We went through our process, we evaluated all of our players,” Spielman said, according to Brian Hall of FOXSportsNorth.com. “We looked at everything from what they bring to our football team, in the locker room, off the field, what they bring to us on the field. But we also have to look at where they’re at from a standpoint of their contract, where we’re at from a cap standpoint…Matt’s done a great job. Came in and has won some games when he had to play. He’s a great locker-room guy. Matt has a lot of value to us.” Cassel is signed for the 2015 season at a salary of $4.15MM, and he’ll count $4.75MM against the cap.

Now for some more links from around the league on this Tuesday evening:

Tahir Whitehead filled in capably for Stephen Tulloch when Tulloch went out last season, and that leaves the Lions with an interesting choice this offseason, as Kyle Meinke of MLive.com writes. Detroit could continue to roll with Whitehead at middle linebacker and carve out some space by parting ways with Tulloch. The 30-year-old is slated to count $5.8MM against the cap next season. Whitehead, meanwhile, costs just $713K.
The consensus around the league is that the Buccaneers will draft Jameis Winston with the No. 1 overall pick, according to a tweet from the NFL Network (citing its own Ian Rapoport).
The Colts are in dire need of a running back, and Mike Wells of ESPN.com writes that the team will be closely monitoring the Adrian Peterson situation. If Peterson and the Vikings part ways, Indianapolis GM Ryan Grigson, a noted risk-taker, may pull the trigger.
Falcons defensive end Osi Umenyiora has no plans to retire, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Umenyiora, 33, will become a free agent on March 10, and he said he would like to play at least one more season. If he could choose, Umenyiora stated that he would like to finish his career where it started: with the Giants.
Packers fullback John Kuhn is one of the last members of a dying breed, but the impending free agent reaffirmed his importance to the Green Bay offense in 2014, earning first team All-Pro honors for the first time in his career. As Weston Hodkiewicz of PackersNews.com writes, there is mutual interest in Kuhn’s return to the Packers.
Former Australian rugby star Jarryd Hayne, who has garnered interest from at least a dozen teams, is expected to sign with a club this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (writing for the National Football Post).
Bill Williamson of ESPN.com believes middle linebacker Nate Irving could be a fit with the Raiders if the impending free agent is not re-signed by the Broncos.
Parys Haralson, who signed a one-year deal with the Saints in February, hopes to end his career in New Orleans, writes Katherine Terrell of the Times-Picayune.
Jason Fitzerald of OverTheCap.com provides the Panthers‘ salary cap outlook for the 2015 season.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Vikings Notes: Peterson, Smith, Brzezinski

February 23rd, 2015 at 9:38pm CST by Zachary Links

Minnesota has Kevin Garnett and Torii Hunter back, but they might lose another star before long. Adrian Peterson is unhappy with the Vikings and, from the way it sounds, things might be beyond the point of repair. While you get caught up on the latest drama here, here’s more on the Vikings and AP:

Peterson is just the latest player to have a rift with the Vikings, Michael Rand of the Star Tribune writes. Some might be thinking that AP is simply looking for leverage, but history shows that might not be the case. Randy Moss was acting out at the end of the 2004 season and by March of 2005, he was a goner. The club also tried to downplay rifts with Daunte Culpepper and Percy Harvin in the past and both were wearing different uniforms before long.
The Vikings will be on the lookout this offseason for an upgrade at safety to complement Harrison Smith, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Considering Landon Collins may be the only rookie safety drafted in the first two rounds this spring, the team figures to prioritize the position in free agency.
Patrick Reusse of the Star Tribune isn’t surprised that Rob Brzezinski, the Vikings’ chief negotiator, got into it with Adrian Peterson’s agent at an Indianapolis restaurant last Friday. Back in 2001, the scribe writes that he also got into a run-in with the exec. The Vikings beat reporters were trading one-liners at the team’s expense during a one-sided blowout and some words that are not fit for print were exchanged.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Adrian Peterson Rumors: Monday

February 23rd, 2015 at 8:37pm CST by Luke Adams

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.

NFC Links: Cardinals, Fairley, Cowboys, Vikings

February 22nd, 2015 at 10:44pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Oscar’s were the big story this Sunday, but in case you missed any of the NFL tidbits that spread while you were rooting for your favorite movie of the year, here are some links surrounding NFC teams:

Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com takes a look at the Cardinals salary cap situation going into the offseason. He writes that the team should be all in on 2015, and could afford to take some risks to put them over the top.
Cardinals running back Andre Ellington averaged only 3.3 yards per carry this past season under an increased workload, down from a fantastic 5.5 yards per carry as a rookie in 2013. The organization still believes he can be the focal point of the offense, but that he needs to get bigger and stronger in order to carry that load, writes Chris Wesseling of NFL.com
The Lions had a very positive interview with defensive tackle Nick Fairley at the combine today, and expressed interest in keeping him in Detroit, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
In Cowboys’ news, Kevin Sherrington of DallasNews.com suggests that the team is not dependent on a Dez Bryant deal in order to move on with other roster moves this offseason, and his colleague Rainer Sabin writes that he does not expect the franchise tag to alter Bryant’s on-field performance if the Cowboys decide to use it on him this offseason.
The Vikings’ front office has been looking closely at running backs in the combine, with plans to either supplement or replace Adrian Peterson depending on what happens this offseason, writes Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
Washington executive A.J. Smith will not be returning to the team, according to Zac Boyer of the Washington Times who cites a Providence Journal report (via Twitter). Boyer notes that this isn’t a surprise, as team president Bruce Allen hinted at it when Scott McCloughan was hired as the team’s general manager.

NFC Notes: Peterson, Packers, Falcons, Dez

February 22nd, 2015 at 4:04pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Refuting a portion of last night’s report from Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes that Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has in fact not asked for a trade. Cole had indicated that Peterson prefers to play for the Cowboys, but sources tell Tomasson that isn’t the case. Perhaps more interestingly, Tomasson reports that the Vikings have not approached Peterson about taking a pay cut from his 2015 $12.75MM base salary. The 2012 NFL MVP recently said he was “uneasy” about a return to Minnesota, but Tomasson writes that Peterson is willing to return to the club.

Here’s more from the NFC:

The Packers have not yet begun talks with free-agent-to-be Tramon Williams, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. The 32-year-old cornerback is coming off a season in which he started all 16 games and earned $6.9MM. In a thin CB market, he’s near the top of the list of available options. But sources tell Demovsky that general manager Ted Thompson is more focused on retaining two other pending Packers FAs, receiver Randall Cobb and tackle Bryan Bulaga.
The Falcons will enter free agency with more than $25MM in cap space to work with, and as GM Thomas Dimitroff explains to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the club is ready make upgrades. Specifically, Dimitroff noted that Atlanta could add several free agent pushers that would fit new coach Dan Quinn’s scheme.
Dez Bryant is a prime candidate for the franchise tag, and while Cowboys owner Jerry Jones doesn’t expect the star pass-catcher to sulk if he is tagged, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk outlines how Bryant could turn the situation in his favor.
The free agent receiver class will be exceptionally strong this offseason, leading Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times to examine how market factors could affect the Bears’ decision on Brandon Marshall.

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