Jerry Jones wanted Cowboys to have enough money to sign Adrian Peterson?

It has become very clear over the past several weeks that Adrian Peterson no longer wants to play for the Minnesota Vikings. What is less clear is where he might end up if the Vikings grant him his wish. Are the Dallas Cowboys still in the mix?

According to ESPN’s Ed Werder, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was hesitant to go beyond a certain dollar amount to bring back DeMarco Murray because he wanted to be sure the team had enough cash available if another opportunity arose.

“I know that when Jerry Jones was negotiating DeMarco Murray’s contract and bidding to keep him, he imposed strict financial limits on how far the Cowboys would go,” Werder said Tuesday. “One factor is that Jones wanted to make sure that if there was an unusual opportunity to present itself for a unique Hall of Fame-type player, like Adrian Peterson, that they had the financial flexibility to go try and make the deal.”

Werder added that Peterson is unlikely to take a pay cut, which has led many to believe the Cowboys would have been better off paying Murray — who is 27 — $8 million per season rather than giving the 30-year-old Peterson $12 million per year.

That said, a previous report indicated that Peterson would be willing to restructure his contract if he is traded to one of a handful of teams. He has pretty much admitted in the past that he wants to play for the Cowboys, so perhaps the two sides could make something work.

If you read what Peterson’s agent said recently, you get an idea of where AP’s head is at. Don’t underestimate how much Jerruh wants Peterson on his team.