With a lot of talk swirling about Adrian Peterson potentially having played his last snap with the Minnesota Vikings, the 31-year-old running back is reportedly focused on one thing and one thing only — playing again this season.
A source with knowledge of Peterson’s thinking told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that Peterson wants to get healthy as quickly as possible and return to the field in 2016. Both Peterson and the Vikings have big decisions to make regarding the seven-time Pro Bowler’s contract, but Peterson doesn’t want to think ahead that far yet.
More from Florio:
Peterson likes playing for the Vikings. Whether he will accept a reduced package to stay will be influenced by plenty of factors. For now, his status beyond 2016 is simply not a consideration.
Peterson’s sole focus is to rehab his knee injury following surgery to repair a torn meniscus, and to play again this year. He can return as soon as Week Eleven, and he could find himself on the field with the best Vikings team of his 10-year tenure. Whether he plays, how well he plays, and how far the team goes will surely influence whether he ultimately takes the best deal the Vikings put on the table for 2017 and beyond — and whether he’ll look for something as good or better elsewhere.
Despite having lost both Teddy Bridgewater and Peterson, the Vikings came away with a road win over the defending NFC Champion Carolina Panthers on Sunday. If Sam Bradford can provide stability at the quarterback position, Minnesota has a shot at pushing for a playoff spot.
Peterson is owed $18 million next season, and none of it is guaranteed. It’s a virtual certainty that the Vikings won’t pay him that, especially when you consider this report about the way some within the organization feel about his role in the offense. Even if Peterson is able to return this season, he’ll need to accept a significant pay cut to stick around in 2016.
