Cris Carter suggests Adrian Peterson will be traded

The Minnesota Vikings would likely want either a first-round or second-round pick in this year’s NFL draft (and then some) if they decide to trade Adrian Peterson, so there isn’t a lot of time left to make a deal. That doesn’t mean Peterson won’t be dealt.

During an appearance on the “Mike and Mike in the Morning Show” on Thursday, ESPN analyst and Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter hinted that Peterson could be traded.

“I’m under gag order on the Adrian Peterson situation, but I believe something’s gonna happen,” Carter said, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “But I can’t talk about it.”

This could be Carter’s way of trying to sound important leading up to the draft, but he did spend 12 seasons with the Vikings. It wouldn’t be hard to believe that Carter is close with someone who is familiar with the decision-making process in Minnesota.

Even if the Vikings do decide they are willing to part ways with Peterson, there are still a ton of obstacles. Peterson is a 30-year-old running back who has three years and roughly $45 million left on his contract. He is set to count nearly $13 million against the salary cap in 2015, which is a ton of money for any running back.

Complicating matters even more, the Vikings reportedly want a ton in return if they trade AP. Peterson admitted earlier this week that he would like to play for the Dallas Cowboys, but they are supposedly out of the running.

If Peterson agreed to restructure his contract and the Vikings lowered the asking price for him, the possibility of a deal would be far more realistic. The odds of both of those things happening still seem slim.