NFL Minnesota Vikings

Adrian Peterson’s Career With the Minnesota Vikings Is Over

Fresh Videos

By @bradberreman24

Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Almost immediately after news of his indictment on charges of reckless or negligent injury to a child surfaced last Friday,  the Minnesota Vikings deactivated running back Adrian Peterson for last Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots. After a 30-7 loss to the Patriots in the home opener, the team reinstated Peterson on Monday and he was expected to practice this week and play in Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints.

News of sponsor backlash and other public outcries have moved the Vikings to change course again. Early Wednesday morning, just before 1 A.M. Central time to be exact, team owners Zygi and Mark Wilf released a statement saying Peterson has been placed on the Exempt/Commissioner’s Permission List. That means the star running back can’t participate in any team activities until his legal issues are resolved, and the designation really amounts to an indefinite suspension.

Peterson’s first court appearance in relation to the charges facing him is set for Oct. 8, and the Montgomery County (Texas) first assistant district attorney has hinted that a potential trial wouldn’t come until 2015. So it seems certain Peterson will not play the rest of this season, barring a quicker than expected resolution that may come through the legal system, and his status beyond that is up in the air at this point.

Peterson will turn 30 next March 21, just after the 2015 league year starts. If his case goes to trial, it’s worth wondering if those proceedings would be going on around then, so the Vikings would have another difficult decision to make regarding their best player. But Peterson’s career with the Vikings is already over in my eyes, and here’s why.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter has already reported that the Vikings intend to bring Peterson back when his legal situation is resolved, and he will still be paid the $11.75 million he is due for this season even if he doesn’t suit up again. But Peterson is due to make $12.75 million, $14.75 million and $16.75 million over the final three years of his contract, and it will become increasingly difficult for the Vikings to keep him going forward.

Without knowing the exact salary cap implications of releasing him, Peterson’s public persona has taken a big hit now and that should not be overlooked with a new stadium scheduled to open in 2016. That leaves out Peterson’s fairly significant injury history, which could bring a dramatic decline in his production that won’t justify his escalating salaries from 2015-2017.

In reading the Wilfs’ statement it appears being placed on the Exempt/Commissioner’s Permission List has come with Peterson’s blessing, and his agent and the NFLPA have backed up that notion. The wavering the team has done in regards to Peterson’s status is troubling to say the least, but leaving aside the outside pressure that has come, the organization has ultimately made the right decision.

Speculation surfaced during the offseason that 2014 would be Peterson’s last with the Vikings, due primarily to the money left on his contract and his advancing age. The report he expressed interest in playing for the Dallas Cowboys from a few weeks ago fueled that fire a bit, but at this point, any team that may have had interest in trading for Peterson is sure to be backing away. That said, once his legal situation is behind him, trade talks may resurface and general manager Rick Spielman should definitely be open for business.

I’ll give Peterson some credit for not avoiding what he allegedly did to his son, but he has increasingly come off as a person that makes bad decisions off the field and is just plain irresponsible. The distraction he brings will not go away even once he returns to action, even if those type of things are often overblown by the media, and a lot of Vikings’ fans have surely put away their Peterson-related gear for the foreseeable future. The organization should not let the court of public opinion dictate everything, but I don’t think Peterson will ever be the same player on the field and his ability to help the Vikings win games is diminished even further now. Talent is what it ultimately comes down to here, quite frankly, and Peterson’s is dwindling to the point where his off-field activities will not be worth putting up with for much longer.

Some fans might say the Vikings can’t cut Peterson due to his accomplishments on the field and his status as the face of the franchise, for better or worse at this point in time. Another part of the Wilfs’ statement acknowledged Peterson’s “seven-plus years of outstanding commitment to this organization and this community.” That makes me wonder if the ultimate decision to bring Peterson back, be it later this season or in 2015, will come entirely from ownership with no substantial input from Spielman or the coaching staff.

Looking through NFL history, it’s rare for a star player to start and end his career with the same team. At one time Peterson looked like he might spend his entire career with the Vikings, even leaving aside some sentimentality in that regard, but these allegations of child abuse and his pending legal situation has made it easier to cut ties if the team deems that to be the right decision.

Even if Peterson winds up sitting out the rest of this season, which is still far from a guarantee right now, I fully expect him to return to action in 2015. But I think he should be traded or released at some point without remorse, and Peterson has played his last game for the Vikings barring something unforeseen.

Brad Berreman is a Columnist at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter or connect on Google +.

Share Tweet
Trending Now on