Vikings Owners, Adrian Peterson Meet In New York
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) -- With the start of the league business year in the NFL happening Tuesday afternoon, the Minnesota Vikings are continuing to speak with Adrian Peterson about his future with the team.
Peterson met with Vikings owners Mark and Zygi Wilf as well as General Manager Rick Spielman on Monday in New York. Peterson reportedly flew from Houston to New York for the meeting. Vikings officials said the meeting was for "a continuation of last week's discussion."
He also met with coach Mike Zimmer and Spielman last week at his Texas home that lasted about four hours. If Peterson wants a clean start with another team, the Vikings would either have to work out a trade with another team for him, or they could release him and he would become a free agent.
WCCO-TV's David McCoy reports that a source declined to characterize how Monday's meeting went. Which is, of course, the big question. Once 3 p.m. arrives, free agency and the new league year begins, which means the Vikings would be able to trade Peterson.
The meeting in New York suggests that the Vikings are still trying to convince Peterson to return (no need to meet so close to the start of the league year if you're just planning to trade him). But Peterson has expressed uneasiness about returning to Minnesota for a while now.
The Vikings reportedly did arrange for an insurance policy yesterday, if Peterson does not return, by agreeing to a one-year, incentive-laden deal with Matt Asiata. Peterson is currently under contract with the Vikings for 2015 and is due at least $12.75 million. He is currently on the NFL's exempt list and awaiting reinstatement to the league after missing most of last season after being suspended for involvement in a child abuse case with his 4-year-old son.
There's no guaranteed money left on his contract, giving Peterson reason to proceed deliberately about his future.
The child abuse case involving injuries to Peterson's 4-year-old son that led to an NFL suspension under the personal conduct policy has been resolved, but Peterson has expressed uneasiness about returning to Minnesota. In an interview with ESPN last month, he called the collaboration between the Vikings and the NFL to place him on paid leave the week after he was indicted in Texas "an ambush."
Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Peterson until at least April 15, but the league arbitrator's denial of Peterson's appeal was rebuked by the federal judge who heard a petition from the NFL Players Association to vacate that arbitration decision. The league appealed to a higher court but returned Peterson to the special exempt list he spent much of last season on.
Vikings officials have stated publicly that they would welcome back Peterson with open arms.
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