Categories: General News
| On 9 years ago

REPORT: Vikings Doing All They Can To Dump Adrian Peterson, Multiple Teams Interested

By Arif Hasan

Image courtesy of Vikings.com

Multiple sources have confirmed to me that the Minnesota Vikings are working as hard as they can to trade Adrian Peterson, and are willing to unload him “any way they can.” Though ownership and the front office have made overtures to keeping Adrian Peterson, the reality is that they are attempting to get him off the team through any means necessary.

One source told me multiple teams are interested in Peterson, though the strength or seriousness of their interest was not relayed to me.

The Vikings have been attempting to trade Adrian Peterson for weeks.

In many ways, this isn’t really surprising. The tension between Adrian Peterson and the Vikings have been rising, ever since Kevin Warren, former legal counsel for the Vikings, was promoted to become the Chief Operations Officer for the team even though it had been revealed that he actively worked to keep Peterson off the field last year. After Adrian Peterson’s agent, Ben Dogra, and Vice President of Football Operations, Rob Brzezinski, had to be separated at the NFL combine, it was perhaps made clear that the relationship was sour.

Though that blowup was representative of the collapsing relationship, sources within the organization tell me that the Vikings have been working for weeks to trade Adrian Peterson. Each source heavily implied that the Vikings would not be above cutting Adrian Peterson, although that seems unlikely and none provided that explicit information.

There are all sorts of football reasons to part with Adrian Peterson, and one source indicated to me that the multiple levels of risk—age, injury and discontent—are a big reason for it. Another told me that the bad press was a big part of it as well. A third indicated “it would make things easier” for the Vikings, who have to juggle the complicated demands not just of the on-field product, but sponsors, public relations and relations with local governments who are contributing in big ways to the stadium building effort.

The chances are zero that keeping Peterson on the roster would create an obvious or immediate impact on sponsorship or stadium progress, but the value of keeping partners happy is pretty high even if abstract.

At least one sponsor has high-level executives that care just as much about the moral issues at play as they do the financial impact to their sponsored product.

Given that Warren works at the pleasure of the Vikings ownership, his participation and reward for working to keep Peterson off the field, it isn’t surprising that the ownership is not too committed to actually keeping Peterson with the team despite their public words of support.

Last year, the Vikings were looking into Adrian Peterson’s trade value at the NFL combine. These deals are often made in principle at the NFL combine, though any trade for Adrian Peterson could not be officially made until the league year starts on March 10.

With a rich draft class at running back, a growing list of running backs hitting free agency and the generally agreed-upon devaluing of the NFL’s running game, it may be difficult to trade Adrian Peterson. Add to that the growing legal uncertainty of Peterson’s playing status, and the Vikings may have to settle for far less than they did last year. The Vikings’ 10-6 record ATS was better than their 7-9 regular season result. On the other hand, he’s the best at what he does, and he carried a bad defense and quarterback to the playoffs in 2012.

 

Arif Hasan

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  • Out of curiosity, when did they start doing 'all they can' to dump him? Has this been going on all along, or a more recent development?

      • To be honest this sounds a tad bit sketchy but common sense tells you it probably is true. I still don't believe anything wholly one way or the other. I guess we'll find out when it happens.

        • Yea, I understand that. They weren't going into specifics but to be honest, I don't think they remember the exact starting date for their lobbying. Certainly before the incident at the combine.

          • anonymous "sources" seems hokey. If what he (AP) did is so repulsive and anti-organization? man up and admit it. Just announce "we admire the football player, but are at odds with the man"

            "Dump him?" hyperbole!

          • You don't have to believe me if you don't want to. Almost all breaking news that is not the result of the transaction wire comes from anonymous sources. I trust them in this circumstance.

          • you do realize though, the consequences of being wrong? are nil. Your sources will either claim he couldn't be moved, at any price, or; he will get traded and they'll say "see, I told you so...."

            I believe you. But I am dubious of the motives behind your sources.

          • I would have more respect for them, if they came out and said; "come hell or high water, AP will not be on the roster opening day 2015."

            As saying "trying to dump..." implies without consequence of being wrong.

          • What do the Vikings have to gain by making an announcement like that? It would only hurt any potential trade leverage.

          • They would be putting the word out there that Peterson is available... so a team like... oh let's say the Cowboys are more willing to NOT sign a back before free agency starts.

          • lateefthetruthspeaker? The one and only hip hop artist? If so I am proud to know you are a vikings fan!

      • After reading the ownership is going to pay Peterson his 13 million , guys like you come up with crap like this. Go be a beat writer for the bears or packers and quit creating more confusion than there already is.

      • Does your sources include the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, and/or St. Nick?
        #SeemsLegit

  • Nothing I can do as a fan but if it's true, and it's come to this. The team needs to do one thing.

    I say ship him to the team that offers the most but NEVER ship him to Dallas or an NFC team unless they give up a lot more than an AFC team would. They don't have to let him go for nothing, and before they just release him I would send him to the worst team in the AFC so we don't have to face him.

    • They should probably hold him ransom and tell the 31 other teams if you want him give us a 1st round pick, this year or next, or he won't play in the NFL again for X many years when he's already over 30 years old.

      Colts and Buffalo get first dibs. Then I hear Cardinals are interested. Very last team gotta be Cowboys. If nobody else will give us anything then...and only then would I deal with the Cowboys.

  • I'm skeptical. Dump him? It'd be more embarrassing to the league and team to trade him for a low round pick. You want to make a statement? cut him! Otherwise, make him play.

    • It's not about making a statement anymore. It's about getting something, anything, for our star player. Anything is better than nothing. If it's not already, this should be all about helping the Vikings win games.

      • If it's all about wins (which I agree, it should be), you don't dump the best running back in the league

        • Don't forget what happened last year with the Eagles and DeSean Jackson. Ended up with a league rival. AND Eagles cut him, nothing in return. Bad decision making / planning, Shda got something.

        • You do if he's toxic. But I agree with those whom say to make him play (at a restructured contract), since he's not the same guy as he was before the scandal. Ray Rice used to make big $$$ as well, and nobody has even given him a whiff since his ordeal. AP has to realize that he's lucky to even have the team remotely in his corner. Heck, the Broncos are about begging Manning to rework his deal, to retain talent around him. Adrian's overpaid, not above the same, and even at 8-10M, he'd be more than compensated for what he does, in which the team would have additional resources to put more talent onto the field (unless he's the selfish, self entitled brat that we've seen since the scandal), so that they can win, NOW! If not, try to get a trade that gets you an additional 1st and 3rd round pick. If nobody wants to play ball (other teams and AP himself), put em' back into time out, he's not getting any younger. Then next year, cut him if you have to.

          • Yep, except for I think it is unlikely any team will be willing to trade for his contract. His current contract is way beyond any rb in the league now. If he is over priced for the vikes at 13 mil this year and 15 next year (?) for the vikes then he is over priced for other teams as well. Work horse Lynch just got 10 mil, I love Adrian and what he has done for the vikes, but he is not worth as much as Lynch. He would have to accept the trade with the agreement of contract renegotiation. If the vikes can get a first rounder and dump the huge cap hit, I say take it. I did like McKinnon, he is a tough kid between the tackles and a better receiver. Adrian has the 80 yard td at any time capability, but how much should a team spend for this once or twice a year happening?

          • Adrian Peterson is a much better running back than Marshawn "I don't want to talk" Lynch. AD is an all around back. He runs for power and speed. The crotch grabbing Lynch is a between the tackles power runner who is in the right system.

  • I'm sticking to my initial instinct on this one and still predicting Peterson going to Indy. The Colts have $30+ million in cap space to play with, Trent Richardson was a flop, and the Vikes don't play them next season ;)

    • Hard to believe Indy will give up much though after just dropping the ball with Richardson.

        • My point is that the Colts *just* gave up a first round pick for a running back. I'd be surprised if they did it again. Not saying they won't but I just think it's unlikely.

          • I hear you, but it's worth noting that the Colts are picking pretty low in the draft order. With that being said, I still wouldn't scoff at a 2nd round pick, especially if you could get them to throw in another mid to late round pick (even a future pick) as a sweetener.

            Richardson was a total flop, but that was then and this is now. I'm not saying I believe it will happen, but the Colts seem like they're in "win now" mode. It makes sense that they are willing to throw money around while they have it, because once Luck gets a new deal there won't be quite as much to splurge with.

            Do I think he'll go to the Colts? Not necessarily, but I believe they're willing to give it serious consideration. AP doesn't have much choice in the matter, but if he wants to win a title, there are worse places he could go, and he might even consider restructuring his deal (maybe a lower cap number with more guaranteed money spread out over a couple of years or something similar).

    • Indy is a possibility, but what all these interested teams need to realize is; that the bidding starts with their 2015 1st round pick. If several teams want him badly, it will also cost a 3rd or a 4th to get it done.

  • I'm with Lindsey - Indianapolis feels like the "right" landing spot for Peterson, and we've all seen how aggressive Grigson is in Free Agency

    • I do not have a track record of breaking news, and I do not know what track record my sources have with other journalists they provide information for. I will say that I had multiple, independent sources confirm this and that I trust them, at least for now.

      • trying to shop him might still mean they have standards. They may shop him but be unwilling to accept less than a 2nd for example. Plus, what is to prevent say the Packers from offering some information in exchange for this "source" doin their dirty work and lowers the trade value by leaking this along with those to confirm as part of a campaign to hurt Vikes. I can't imagine having a multimillion dollar organization and not playing these kind of games to do all you can to hurt trade value of divisional rival but don't pretend to know personally.

  • The incident with his son did not matter. It gave more impetus to the decision but his contract is the real problem. No "smart" team is going to pay a running back 13 mil no matter who he is. I love me some AP but if I could use his cap space to sign Devin McCourty who the Patriots may not be able to prevent him from hitting the open market then I am all in with that move. And they should be able to go after a top guard in free agency as well. Now, if they can only do something about Jennings deal then we are talking!

  • As a purple fan, you are a presumptuous idiot. Take your fantasies elsewhere. Adrian is under contract.

    • I think this is a discussion based on information Arif received from sources close to the Vikings. You have your right to your opinion, just express it without name calling. Arif is just doing his job.

      • The contract gives the Vikings the option to 1) pay Peterson the money, 2) trade him or 3) cut him. Every one of those options is "honoring the contract".

  • First off Viking's can't trade AD until he is reinstated. Can we go a day or week with out writing this bullcrap about AD? This is getting old. Misinformation. I'm disappointed in VT for all this bullcrap about AD. Ya I know it is all about clicks to your page.

    • This is team news that I learned about and reported on. I don't know why you think it is all bullcrap or speculation. There's a lot of non-Peterson posts here, too.

      One can still be traded while on the exempt list.

      • Did you get any word on what the Vikes are willing to get back? Draft picks (round), players (position)?

        I would put my money on Arizona making a push and offering a 2nd rounder+ package.

      • Arif... always have enjoyed your writing and look for it on several sites.

        On Vikings Update in the Purple thoughts Forum, I posted a topic of "Adrian to Dallas.... a win-win that makes sense". I would like your thoughts since its gotten a lot of views and comments. Seems like some aspect of it could be a way for Dallas to manage cap and focus on Defense while retaining an offense capability that got them into the playoffs and manage their difficult cap issues.

    • Actually, what really gets old are the people who keep apologizing for Peterson.

      Here's a news flash for you: Peterson is a running back who is past his prime, carrying a ridiculously expensive contract he won't restructure, is a PR liability because he likes to beat his kids, and blames everyone but himself for his problems.

      A reasonable Vikings fan should be happy that he is on his way out the door. Everyone else should probably be posting on DN, not on a site meant for adults.

    • No, you didn't hear? The doty ruling means that AP can be traded, team can discuss, team can talk contract.... But no trade can occur officially until March 10th