Adrian Peterson Reinstated

[Purple bruise]

quote]

I agree on the Jags. It seems to be general perception that the Jags would never pursue AD since he's a 30 year old RB and the Jags aren't close to contending. I disagree for 2 reasons:

1. As you state, they need some star power to fill seats and sell jerseys
2. They have over $32 mil of cap space. Isn't there a cap minimum? They might have to blow some $$ just to meet the minimum[/quote]
You said that you "DISAGREE FOR 2 REASONS" It does not sound like we disagree at all [/quote]

Correct, see S197's post below.....I agree with you; I disagree with popular opinion.
That said I am trying to find what the minimum cap is, and if the Jags and Raiders are still below the minimum[/quote]
Gotcha

[808vikingsfan]

Sorry if this has already been posted.

Garafolo: Don't expect to see Peterson at Vikings' offseason workouts

However, the Vikings' hard stance hasn't changed. Publicly, they've said they are looking forward to his return. In fact, that's exactly what was in the team's statement moments after Peterson was reinstated Thursday: "We are looking forward to Adrian rejoining the Vikings."

Privately, the wording has been a lot stronger. Sources have told FOX Sports the team has made it clear to Peterson's camp that he will "play for (the Vikings) or nobody this year." The team believes it doesn’t owe Peterson an apology for paying him $12 million last year and is more than doing its part by offering to pay him the full $13 million he's owed for next season. The Vikings believe the 2012 NFL MVP’s redemption story lies in the city that's been his NFL home since they drafted him seventh overall in 2007.

[jackal]

NO offense to anyone but Spielman's biggest asset is his bluffing and playing poker ability...

Listen to Zimmer's quote and owners meetings, we have no plans at trading Peterson!!!

I promise that he has pissed off the brain trust and owners at the Vikings..If it possible
and we get a decent offer, Peterson will dealt, quickly. Will a team give up what our
team really wants ?? We should know by draft day one or two ???

[PacificNorseWest]

NO offense to anyone but Spielman's biggest asset is his bluffing and playing poker ability...

This is true. It's also true of most GM's though.

Just from a logic standpoint I think if we remove all the noise, we should realize that this situation sees The Vikings with most of the leverage. AP is under contract for more than a year and it's a hefty contract. Of course, Minnesota knows this and feel that AP may not have much choice. If he were to be traded, some team is going to have to reach in terms of what they give up. The statistics are staggering for RB's that hit 30. They fall off a cliff in production. I like to think AP is different, but it's hard to go against history that strong. Having said that...If Minnesota gets what they may want if they trade AP, then I think that's probably a win too. So really...I can see it as a win-win right now.

I still hope he's in Vikings purple next season though.

[MNSportsNut]

You guys are starting to hit on something I have been wondering about. I do not know the NFL salary cap rules that well - especially at this stage where we have 87 players on contract and can only have 53 going into the regular season. But using the numbers specified in that cap spreadsheet that was on this sight earlier, I modified it to show 89% of the cap (the supposed minimum cap) Using the Top 51 cap salaries, we are sitting a little under the minimum. If I did the calculations correctly. So what happens if Peterson is traded? A first or second round pick is not going to cover the 13M savings on the cap. Or am I doing something wrong?

Just for the record, I would like to see Peterson traded for at least enough to draft Gurley or no trade. I do not think Gordon is near as good - he always had that big offensive line to run behind.

[mmvikes]

This is true. It's also true of most GM's though.

Just from a logic standpoint I think if we remove all the noise, we should realize that this situation sees The Vikings with most of the leverage. AP is under contract for more than a year and it's a hefty contract. Of course, Minnesota knows this and feel that AP may not have much choice. If he were to be traded, some team is going to have to reach in terms of what they give up. The statistics are staggering for RB's that hit 30. They fall off a cliff in production. I like to think AP is different, but it's hard to go against history that strong. Having said that...If Minnesota gets what they may want if they trade AP, then I think that's probably a win too. So really...I can see it as a win-win right now.

I still hope he's in Vikings purple next season though.

I hear that stat quite a bit about running back dropping after 30, but if we consider Adrian one of the best ever, it is tough to compare over 30 stats when you talk about the best.
Jim Brown retired at 29
Barry Sanders retired at 30
Walter Payton played to 34. 1700, 1600, and 1300 yds after 30. Had low yards his final year but only had 147 touches as the Bears were trying to replace him with Anderson
Gayle Sayers never got to 30
OJ injured at 30 and was never the same
Earl Campbell taken down by injuries

Tough to compare them when so many did not play past 30 or had injuries affect their careers

[Mothman]

I hear that stat quite a bit about running back dropping after 30, but if we consider Adrian one of the best ever, it is tough to compare over 30 stats when you talk about the best.
Jim Brown retired at 29
Barry Sanders retired at 30
Walter Payton played to 34. 1700, 1600, and 1300 yds after 30. Had low yards his final year but only had 147 touches as the Bears were trying to replace him with Anderson
Gayle Sayers never got to 30
OJ injured at 30 and was never the same
Earl Campbell taken down by injuries

Tough to compare them when so many did not play past 30 or had injuries affect their careers

.. .and some of the greats who did play past 30 had great seasons. You already mentioned a few from Payton. Curtis Martin rushed for over 1300 yards at age 30 and over 1600 at age 31. Smith had 1000+ yard seasons in his 30s. Sanders retired at 30 but rushed for almost 1500 yards that year. He was still playing like he was in his prime when he called it quits.

It's obvious that the individual and the circumstances make a difference and that a serious drop in production after 30 isn't automatic. It's inevitably going to come at some point as an RB ages but Peterson could have several excellent seasons left in him, especially after essentially avoiding a season of wear and tear at 29.

[PacificNorseWest]

I'm listening...

[720pete]

Anyone have an opinion on Morris Claiborne? Could he redeem himself with a fresh start?

[Mothman]

From Sid Hartman's column:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikin ... 57701.html

A number of newspapers and websites picked up on two stories published on the Cowboys website last week. A headline on the New York Post’s website Friday read: “Cowboys doing awful job of hiding interest in Adrian Peterson.”

The Cowboys website had two stories on Peterson’s status Thursday, a point-counterpoint. The point story was headlined: “Reinstated Peterson Would Make Cowboys Serious Contenders.”

According to Pro Football Talk, the NFL doesn’t classify this as tampering because neither Jones nor any other team official is quoted, but there must be some interest if the team’s official website is getting involved in the question of acquiring Peterson. I have to imagine there is no way the Cowboys would run those stories without approval from someone high up in the organization.

From the next section of the column:

Now that the NFL has made Peterson eligible to play, I expect Zygi Wilf and his family to make every effort to get him in uniform, including renegotiating his contract so that Peterson receives a lot of guaranteed money.

[Mothman]

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Capl ... 041815?t=2

Now, ESPN's Adam Caplan said he doesn't believe the Vikings want to trade him, "but the thought around the league" is it'd take "at least a first-round pick and more compensation" for the Vikings to listen. "The more compensation would be this, they want a starting cornerback. From what I've heard, they've really identified their number one need right now is cornerback," Caplan said. He continues by saying it could also be a first- and a second-round pick.

That's a steep price you'd expect a team to set for a former NFL MVP. The Vikings, from president to coach, say they expect Peterson on the team in 2015. In the meantime, anonymous sources attempt to stir up a market.

[dead_poet]

From the next section of the column:

I, for one, would be incredibly surprised if the Vikings did that. Before this whole thing the belief was they may approach him about a pay CUT. If AD truly expects the team to pony up more cash on top of his CRIME that's just being ludicrous. They're honoring his existing contract and not even asking about a cut, making him the highest-paid running back in the league. If he had another, say, 1,800 yards last year they may have done something with his contract. Now? Are you kidding? That's also be a bad PR move, and look like the Vikings were REWARDING him, which is stupid and set a baaaad precedent. No way they do something that stupid, even if they feel like they want to placate him.

[dead_poet]

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Capl ... 041815?t=2

Good. That's a nice position to take as a starting point. Patrick Peterson and a second-rounder would be an interesting package. Probably not doable but interesting to consider.

Sounds like the team really wants him in Purple, pending a Godfather-type trade offer. Which is my position as well. There's no discount to one of the game's best offensive weapons, future HOFer and game-changing backs. You want the Lamborghini, even slightly used, and it'll cost you the going blue book price, nothing less. We look pretty sexy driving it around.

[Jordysghost]

Good. That's a nice position to take as a starting point. Patrick Peterson and a second-rounder would be an interesting package. Probably not doable but interesting to consider.

Sounds like the team really wants him in Purple, pending a Godfather-type trade offer. Which is my position as well. There's no discount to one of the game's best offensive weapons, future HOFer and game-changing backs. You want the Lamborghini, even slightly used, and it'll cost you the going blue book price, nothing less. We look pretty sexy driving it around.

I know none of you want this to occur, but I smell a holdout coming.

There is no way you guys are going to find someone willing to pay the price tag Vikes brass has put on AP. I'd be shocked if someone traded a first for him, and completely amazed if they gave up a first and additional compensation.

[Mothman]

I, for one, would be incredibly surprised if the Vikings did that. Before this whole thing the belief was they may approach him about a pay CUT. If AD truly expects the team to pony up more cash on top of his CRIME that's just being ludicrous.

Nothing at all was said about Peterson's expectations. To my knowledge, neither he or Dogra have said anything whatsoever about wanting or expecting more money from the Vikings.

Every time the idea of more guaranteed money gets mentioned someone seems to get angry over the idea that Peterson would be paid more but more guaranteed money isn't a raise. It isn't additional money to be paid on top of his salary. It's entirely possible (and I'd say even probable) that IF Peterson is open to renegotiating his contract to receive more guaranteed money that, in the end, the contract would be structured so the Vikings would have to pay him less money over the next 3 years. He's not likely to get that guaranteed money without providing something in return and that something would probably be cap relief and an easy out for the Vikings down the road.

Remember, if nothing changes and the Vikings want Peterson's services over the next 3 years, they'll have to pay him $47 million. That's why there was talk of a pay cut in the first place. Even if they renegotiated and gave him, say $13 million guaranteed over the next 3 years, they could structure the deal so that they have to pay less overall or even so that he could be cut after 2015 or 2016 without major cap repercussions. They could save money and spread out what they do have to pay him t create more cap space.

When all that talk about a pay cut was going on, did anybody ever think Peterson would just do that out of the goodness of his heart? Offering more guaranteed money would likely have been the means to negotiate such a cut in the first place.

They're honoring his existing contract and not even asking about a cut, making him the highest-paid running back in the league. If he had another, say, 1,800 yards last year they may have done something with his contract. Now? Are you kidding? That's also be a bad PR move, and look like the Vikings were REWARDING him, which is stupid and set a baaaad precedent. No way they do something that stupid, even if they feel like they want to placate him.

They're honoring his existing contract because they have no other choice beyond releasing him. It's the same reason they paid him last year. This isn't generosity or philanthropy at work, it's self-interest. Peterson remains an obvious asset to the team, if a controversial one, and if that wasn't the case, he'd already be gone. As we all know, if he wants to play, he has to play for the Vikes unless he's traded. On the other hand, he doesn't have to play so the Vikings may, indeed, have to do something to placate him.