Peterson's Contract Means Exit Is Feasible

[Pseudo Everything]

The subject header is the title of an article that was written by Ben Goessling back on May 22nd.
http://espn.go.com/blog/minnesota-vikin ... s-feasible

Prescient to say the least.

Some highlights:

When the Minnesota Vikings talked earlier this spring about getting Adrian Peterson more involved in the passing game and reducing the toll on his body by converting some of his carries to receptions, it was fair -- if a bit cynical -- to wonder if they were beginning the process of divesting themselves from the 2012 NFL MVP.

That's why it's worth spending a bit of time on what Mike Freeman (formerly of CBSSports.com and now of Bleacher Report) wrote on Sunday, when he said that "the Vikings are looking for ways to part with superstar runner Adrian Peterson sooner rather than later," and quoted an AFC general manager who believes the 2014 season will be Peterson's last in Minnesota.

Peterson will make $12 million this season, counting his $250,000 workout bonus, and he's due to be paid $44 million in the last three years of his deal -- though the Vikings would face just a $2.4 million cap hit if they cut him after this season and no penalty if they released him after 2015. When the Vikings signed Peterson to his $100 million contract extension in 2011, they structured it for precisely the scenario we're discussing here.

Peterson's cap hits under his current contract:
2015: $15.0M
2016: $15.4M
2017: $17.0M

Too much for a RB turning 30 next year. And now with all this baggage ... not a chance.

The Wilfs are probably thinking that at least this happened AFTER they got the state to pony up half the money for the new stadium. But they're also going to recognize the political realities of having the face of the franchise associated with child abuse. It's not going to happen. Peterson's days as a Viking are done. He is toast.

I have to believe that Spielman and the Wilfs will keep Peterson inactive until Goodell lowers the hammer. This is tee-ed up for Goodell and I expect him to make like John Daly and grip it and rip it. He almost has no choice in wake of the Ray Rice fallout. I'm thinking 8 games minimum. This isn't like the Ray McDonald case where they are waiting for the legal process to conclude guilt or innocence. There's no photos in the McDonald incident (well at least none that have been leaked for public consumption) and unlike McDonald, Peterson has admitted to doing this.

[NDVikeFan]

I agree with you. Keep him inactive than cut bait with him at seasons end.

He is making way to much money anyways, and with all the baggage now, it be best if both sides went there separate ways.

Be interesting to see what stance the Vikings do take as well as what the NFL does.

Alls I know is it's going to be a Circus around Vikings Land for the foreseeable future.

[Hunter Morrow]

2 million dollar "cap hit" to the billionaire Wilfs...

"They'll fire your 5 dollar #### to solve their million dollar problem."

[thatguy]

2 million dollar "cap hit" to the billionaire Wilfs...

That has very little to do with how much the Wilfs end up pocketing at the end of the season anyway.

I'm totally cool with cutting him at the end of the season (even if he is cleared of all charges). The baggage is now apparent, and it's not something that'll ever really go away...wouldn't be surprised if he ends up in Dallas.

[Funkytown]

You guys think the Vikings will wait until the end of the season to cut him?

[chicagopurple]

I rxpect they will ban him from all team facilities and wait for the courts n nfl to do their job. Once the authorities cast judgement the team is free to cancel his contract for violating the terms.

[tnvikesfan]

The timing for this is just bad for Peterson, because he will reap the results of the Ray Rice fiasco and that's a WHOLE DIFFERENT ANIMAL than this. If this would have happened before the Rice debacle, the severity of punishment would be much less. Face it, we are dealing apples and oranges, and because the apple got smushed, the orange will get juiced.

I haven't seen any of the pictures (nor do I want to), I have only heard bits/pieces. I don't know if this is a bad case of discipline taken to extremes because of temper or history. Either way, if what I heard is correct, it must stop. Leaving welts or breaking skin is abuse, regardless of how you were disciplined as a child. The courts will decide the criminal side of this, and the league will decide the business side of it. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.

I do hope that Peterson pays for his own discretions but I don't wish for him to pay the debt on everyone elses.

[IrishViking]

The timing for this is just bad for Peterson, because he will reap the results of the Ray Rice fiasco and that's a WHOLE DIFFERENT ANIMAL than this. If this would have happened before the Rice debacle, the severity of punishment would be much less. Face it, we are dealing apples and oranges, and because the apple got smushed, the orange will get juiced.

I haven't seen any of the pictures (nor do I want to), I have only heard bits/pieces. I don't know if this is a bad case of discipline taken to extremes because of temper or history. Either way, if what I heard is correct, it must stop. Leaving welts or breaking skin is abuse, regardless of how you were disciplined as a child. The courts will decide the criminal side of this, and the league will decide the business side of it. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.

I do hope that Peterson pays for his own discretions but I don't wish for him to pay the debt on everyone elses.

I do see your point, imo however I have always been in favor of much stiffer penalties for players who break rules in a physical way. (Abuse, violence, etc) so even if AP gets a massive penalty (year ban) I'll probably think more along the lines of "about time" than "sacrificial lamb"

[John_Viveiros]

Slate's headline this morning said "Adrian Peterson released", and I thought 'crud, that was quick'. But they meant released from jail. I think it's a 50-50 chance that he's played his last game for us. One of the all-time greats. I'm glad I got a chance to see him play for us.

[IrishViking]

Slate's headline this morning said "Adrian Peterson released", and I thought 'crud, that was quick'. But they meant released from jail. I think it's a 50-50 chance that he's played his last game for us. One of the all-time greats. I'm glad I got a chance to see him play for us.

Clever click bait.

I've stated it before; unless AP goes much farther than lip service I have no qualms about never cheering for him again and actively rooting against his inductment to the hall one day.

[DanAS]

Clever click bait.

I've stated it before; unless AP goes much farther than lip service I have no qualms about never cheering for him again and actively rooting against his inductment to the hall one day.

I would actually root for him to make the Hall. I'd boot steroid users because their on the field accomplishments were increased by cheating. But as for those with off the field violations -- and I mean it doesn't matter how awful the violations -- I don't think those would keep them out, for me. Take OJ, for example, I'd still want him in the Hall because of his talents as a football player. Or Ty Cobb, that sickening bigot who probably wished that Hitler would have gassed the 30 percent of my family who he didn't kill -- I'd put him in the Hall as well. But that's just me.

And I don't mean to compare with Peterson did to OJ or Cobb. Though I have to say, reading the story about how he kept beating the kid over and over again because he didn't "tear" sounded pretty wretched.

[tnvikesfan]

I've seen a few more articles on this, and if they don't indict for abuse as well as negligent injury I'll be surprised. Yes, I think he needs to be accountable for his actions!

I see many people are of the mind to give him a fair trial followed by a proper hangin', boot him out of the league and wipe him from the face of the earth. If we could only eradicate child abuse so easily. Can we, as a society, hang him but yet allow those not in the public eye to continue their abuse? How many children are out there in the same (or worse) situations that NOBODY GIVES A RATS ARSE ABOUT? Let's take AP's case and run with it, but let's also work on those as well.

It doesn't take a village to raise a child, it takes proper parenting. It does, however, take the village to hold ALL abusive parents accountable for their actions, not just those who are public figures. How can this be turned into something that will help the rest of the kids at risk out there?

[DK Sweets]

It doesn't take a village to raise a child, it takes proper parenting. It does, however, take the village to hold ALL abusive parents accountable for their actions, not just those who are public figures. How can this be turned into something that will help the rest of the kids at risk out there?

[soflavike]

Cut him right now. It's best for the team.

[Pseudo Everything]

How much credence do you place in Goessling's article? He wrote it 4 months ago where he speculates that the Vikings were contemplating parting ways with Peterson (prior to the expiration of his contract) and quotes an AFC GM (albeit anonymously) who thought 2014 would be the last year that Peterson would be with the Vikings. The reasons for doing this: Peterson has a $15M cap charge next year (no other RB in the league is over $10M), his age is now becoming an issue in terms of when RBs production typically starts to decline and lastly he isn't necessarily a good fit for Norv's diversified offense. Again, all of this was written 4 months ago.

The way the Vikings structured Peterson's contract certainly does make it plausible that they contemplated (in advance) of parting ways with him well before the expiration of his deal. His cap hit next year is only $2.4M which would result in a cap savings of $13M. You can get a couple of high end free agents for that kind of cap charge.

So ... if the Vikings were contemplating parting ways with Peterson (let's say after the 2015 season) why wouldn't they just accelerate that plan given the recent felony indictment and all the stink that goes along with it?