Written By Chris Schad
The saga involving Adrian Peterson keeps getting messier as the suspended running back had his appeal upheld on Thursday afternoon. U.S. District Judge David Doty ruled that arbitrator Harold Henderson did not judge the Peterson case under the collective bargaining agreement.
While the NFL is appealing the decision to establish precedent, Peterson has been placed back on the commissioner’s exempt list which means that the Vikings are now able to communicate and make roster moves (i.e. trade, release or renegotiate his contract) after March 10.
For weeks, there have been rumblings throughout the media of where this will leave Peterson. With a definite date now on the table, the speculation can begin as to where he’ll end up and what teams could bid for one of the best running backs in the NFL.
Minnesota Vikings
Instead of dangling Peterson on the trade market, the Vikings could sit down, hug it out and let him take his anger and rage out on the rest of the league. However, it’s not as simple as that sounds. As Cold Omaha’s Sam Ekstrom pointed out, the team will likely try to renegotiate Peterson’s $15.4 million salary cap number for 2015.
If the two sides reach an agreement, they’ll also have to mend fences as Peterson admitted in a recent interview with ESPN’s Ben Goessling thathe would feel “uneasy” about returning to Minnesota. Perhaps there are some hard feelings with the front office, but he loves the coaching staff and if a chat with Mike Zimmer can cure what ails, the two sides can move forward in their quest for a Super Bowl.
Dallas Cowboys
Long rumored to be the next destination (if there is one) in Peterson’s career, Jerry Jones could make his wishes come true and put him in the uniform that he grew up idolizing in Palestine, Texas. Unfortunately, this won’t be a matter of ‘fantasy football.’.
The Cowboys are currently pinned against the salary cap and have to decide whether to keep Dez Bryant or Demarco Murray. While all signspoint to Bryant getting the franchise tag, it likely signals the end for Murray in Dallas. If Jones’ deep pockets couldn’t afford Murray, it’s unlikely he’d be able to fork out enough cash to acquire Peterson’s services — even if he’s acquired in a trade.
Perhaps if Peterson’s desire is strong enough to land in Dallas, the two sides would hammer something out, but it’s a long road if he wants to head to Texas.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts already threw a first-round pick at one running back a couple years ago, but Trent Richardson has fallen off a cliff since arriving in Indianapolis. Still, they might have done themselves a favor as the asking price for a 30-year-old running back won’t require the same commitment.
After a year away from football, Peterson might have some extra gas left in the tank and could take a ton of weight off Andrew Luck’s shoulders. With other weapons like T.Y. Hilton, Donte Moncrief and Dwayne Allen in the passing game, A.P. would see seven men in the box for the first time since his rookie season in Minnesota.
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals took a giant step forward in 2014, but their season hit a snag when Carson Palmer tore his ACL. By adding Peterson to the mix, the Cardinals may be able to reduce Palmer’s dropbacks and help stud receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd get open. Arizona also would like Andre Ellington to bulk up, but he wouldn’t have to make a drastic change if Peterson were there to carry the heavy lifting.
It’s not farfetched to believe that the Cardinals could be one piece away from making a Super Bowl run, but adding Peterson has the potential to get them past their rugged contenders in the NFC West.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks offered a ton of money to Marshawn Lynch, but the heartbeat of their team is currently contemplating retirement. If he decides to retire so he doesn’t get fined anymore, Peterson could be a nice replacement.
The added incentive for the Vikings is that the Seahawks have the assets to make a trade. While Seattle needs playmakers at wide receiver, they’re too far down the line to get a top target with the 31st overall pick in the draft. In addition, they also possess Christine Michael, who has flashed during OTAs the past couple seasons but hasn’t been given an opportunity behind “Beast Mode.”
It’s unlikely the Vikings will be able to get a first-round pick for Peterson, but nobody thought they could do the same with Percy Harvin. Rick Spielman has also established a pipeline with Seahawks general manager John Schneider to acquire Xavier Rhodes (from the Harvin trade) and Teddy Bridgewater (trade up in 2014 draft).
If Lynch decides to retire, Spielman could come out of a bad situation smelling like roses.