The odds Adrian Peterson stays a member of the Minnesota Vikings seem to be decreasing by the day.
His agent Ben Dogra told reporters Tuesday: “You make tough choices in life. We clearly understand he’s under contract with the Vikings. After several discussions and much thought, I believe that it’s not in his best interest to resume his career in Minnesota. It might be best for all parties involved for him to resume his career elsewhere.”
Ultimately, where he ends up is at the discretion of Vikings GM Rick Spielman since Peterson still has three years remaining on his current deal. The team says it will not release Peterson and has no plans to trade the explosive running back – they said the same thing about Percy Harvin, though, before sending him to the Seattle Seahawks in 2013.
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Ideally, at least from Peterson’s perspective, he’ll end up on a playoff team because despite his Hall of Fame-calibre talent he is still a 30-year-old running back and time is winding down on his career.
Peterson has big money attached to his remaining contract but none of it is guaranteed, which means his contract can be restructured if needed, either before or after a potential trade.
With all that in mind here are five potential landing spots for the two-time rushing leader:
Dallas Cowboys: This would be a perfect situation for both the player and team considering Peterson hails from nearby Palestine, Texas and the Cowboys desperately need a running back after last year’s rushing leader DeMarco Murray signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. The current trio of Darren McFadden, Joseph Randle and Lance Dunbar just won’t cut it if Dallas wants to get back to the playoffs.
Just think of what Murray did in Dallas last season. Now imagine Tony Romo handing the ball off to Peterson 20-plus times a game and him charging behind Tyron Smith, Zack Martin and the rest of the NFL’s best offensive line.
Arizona Cardinals: Multiple reports suggest the Cardinals have serious interest in acquiring the six-time Pro Bowler. Arizona passed up on A.P. in the 2007 draft when they took offensive lineman Levi Brown at No. 5. That was a huge mistake, in hindsight, that they could fix in the present day if they were to land him. Peterson playing under coach Bruce Arians and offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin in tandem with the shifty, speedy Andre Ellington could be deadly combo. Ellington is a fine young running back, but he can’t do damage in between the tackles like Peterson.
Star receiver Larry Fitzgerald recently told the Cardinals’ website he’d love for his team to add a player of Peterson’s quality. “Obviously, he’s an MVP-calibre player. Everybody knows that,” Fitzgerald said. “Any team he ends up with — or if he stays with the Vikings — is going to have a great back. If he was to come play here, it would obviously mean a tremendous amount for our ball club.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Doug Martin and Bobby Rainey haven’t been effective the past two seasons and while Charles Sims has a high ceiling the Bucs are pursuing Peterson, according to various reports out of Tampa. Some have suggested shipping Martin and a draft pick to Minny could be all it takes to get him. The Bucs were also one of five teams Peterson would reportedly consider restructuring his deal to go to.
If they keep the first-overall pick they’ll likely end up with Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston. What better way to integrate a highly touted rookie QB into the league than by giving him an A-list running back to lean on?
San Diego Chargers: With Ryan Mathews joining DeMarco Murray in Philly, the Chargers need help in the backfield. Branden Oliver, Donald Brown and Danny Woodhead are versatile change-of-pace backs but none of them are viable starters. The Chargers weren’t great on first down and averaged a mere 3.4 yards per rush – only the Cardinals had a worse average at 3.3 yards per attempt. This lack of success on the ground often put Philip Rivers and the passing game in precarious situations. Adding the 2012 NFL MVP would alleviate pressure on the QB and open up the field.
Oakland Raiders: Despite their 3-13 record last year, the Raiders are in a position to dramatically turn things around in the next few years if they can add a few playmakers. They have the opportunity to do that if they select either Kevin White or Amari Cooper at the No. 4 spot on April 30 and make a pitch for Peterson’s services. With youngsters Khalil Mack, Sio Moore and D.J. Hayden anchoring the defence, there’s nowhere to go but up and on the other side of the ball Derek Carr is coming off a rookie season that filled Raiders fans with hope for the future. Running back Latavius Murray showed tremendous upside late in the season and Peterson would be a great mentor for him while also being an immediate and dramatic upgrade. They just signed Trent Richardson, but that certainly won’t stop them from going after Peterson.