Adrian Peterson (or his agent) sent a statement in response to the speculation surrounding his reason for skipping the team’s OTAs.
After word emerged Sunday that Peterson was missing the team’s organized team activities workouts this week, one report said that was because the running back wants to be traded.
Peterson sent this statement to ESPN’s Josina Anderson Wednesday in response.
“The reason I’m not attending OTAs has nothing to do with wanting to be traded. It’s about securing my future with the Vikings. It’s business, not personal and I understand that firsthand. Go Vikings,” Peterson said.
The timing of Peterson’s statement is interesting. It comes right after Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer gave a strongly-worded opinion about Peterson’s future.
“Adrian, he’s really got two choices,’’ Zimmer said Wednesday via the Pioneer Press. “He can either play for us or he can not play. He’s not going to play for anybody else. That’s just the way it’s going to be.’’
There are two takeaways from Peterson’s statement. Either this is both parties collaborating and saying Peterson will return to the team in order to boost their trade leverage, or Peterson is just trying to get the Vikings to give him more guaranteed money. The specific words about “securing my future” seems to point to the latter.
