Adrian Peterson: Latest News, Rumors and Speculation on RB's Future with Vikings

Running back Adrian Peterson was officially reinstated April 16 after he played in just one regular-season game for the Minnesota Vikings in 2014 before they placed him on the commissioner's exempt list. 

Peterson's future with the team had been murky this offseason, but his decision to attend the team's activities June 2 provided clarity on his status.

Continue for updates.

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Peterson Attends Vikings OTAs

Tuesday, June 2

Albert Breer of NFL Network reported Peterson arrived at Vikings OTAs on June 2. The running back had missed the team's previous activities this offseason.

"I'm returning because I want to. I'm a part of this football team and I owe it to the guys I play with and to our coaches," Peterson stated in an e-mail to ESPN, per ESPN's Ben Goessling. "I was planning on coming in this week, and I'm looking forward to getting back on the field. It's what I love to do."

Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported that the Vikings have made no guarantees to discuss a new contract with Peterson, but noted that coming to OTA's couldn't hurt. Vensel also reported that head coach Mike Zimmer played a role in Peterson's decision to come.

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Peterson Speaks Out on NFL Contracts, Player Treatment and More

Thursday, May 28

Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

"I love people who think they know it all! Smh, Research how many NFL teams hasn't honored a player's contract & learn something," Peterson said. "Question for the people, is a contract two sided or one?," he added.

Peterson continued to discuss the treatment of players by teams, tweeting, "There's never no talk about honoring a contract!" 

"I know hundreds of player's that wished their team would've HONORED the contract! But instead got threw to the side like like trash," he added.

Peterson later provided clarification:

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To clarify, since analysts & everyone else have the answers to what place in MY Heart this "rant" came from. This is not against the Vikings. I am just frustrated that our union did not get guaranteed contracts for its players. NFL players deserve guaranteed contacts like Our NBA and MLB brothers. Owners have the right to release players, at will, without honoring their contracts. However, players do not have the luxury of saying that they want out of their contract. And I won't even get into the franchise tag convo.

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"Here's the deal—Peterson felt betrayed by the Vikings. Has wanted Vikes to up guarantees to rebuild trust. Team sees things differently," noted Breer. 

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports also noted the running back has considered retirement if his situation with the Vikings is not resolved:

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Furthermore, some who have talked to Peterson with regularity since his trip to the Commissioner's Exempt List, say he has ruminated on the possibility of retirement more than once, and has seemed less than enthusiastic about the prospect of playing professional football more than once. He has maintained a posture that he would go to great lengths to not have to play for the Vikings again. 

Multiple sources have told me that refrain dating back to the earliest weeks of his clash with the NFL when the police reports of his beating of his child appeared on the Internet. While some of this might be the usual rhetoric we hear in these types of clashes, I've always got the sense that Peterson would play most any card to try to wiggle free if at all possible.

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Peterson's agent, Ben Dogra, spoke to Bleacher Report's Jason Cole about his client, saying, "He is very very strong ... he's like [Darrelle] Revis."

The three-time first-team All-Pro has proved capable of putting a team on his back in the past, but if he is forced to play for the Vikings against his will, then there is reason to wonder if he will play at the same level that football fans have grown accustomed to.

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Spielman: Vikings Won't Trade Peterson

Monday, May 4

Bob Levey/Getty Images

"He's under contract with us and we are not trading Adrian Peterson," Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said on May 4, regarding Peterson's status with the team, per SiriusXM NFL Radio. "It's time to move on and nothing has changed."

"We can just end the Adrian Peterson stuff. Our position has not changed...we have no interest in trading Adrian Peterson," Spielman said on April 28, per the team. 

"'It would be nice,' to come to Dallas. 'I've got family here, my dad's here. But I'm under contract, so we'll see,'" Peterson said courtey of WFAA's Mike Leslie.

Goessling reported April 23 that the Vikings don't want to trade Peterson to a team they will play in the coming season. Goessling also reported they are worried about having Peterson return to have a big game against them, but he noted that a trade could happen if a team cleared "a high bar" in return for the running back.

The Oakland Raiders, Arizona Cardinals and San Diego Chargers are the teams Minnesota will play in 2015 that are believed to be interested in Peterson. On April 21, Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley even commented on his interest in Peterson, saying that he and general manager David Caldwell had a discussion about it, but that it was nothing substantial, via Michael DiRocco of ESPN.

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