9:54pm: A source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of PFT that a recent report that the Vikings want a first-round pick and a starting cornerback isn’t accurate, which suggests it would take even more than that to even get them to consider dealing Peterson.
6:39pm: The Adrian Peterson saga continues and while many are speculating that No. 28 will be donning a different uniform this season, that isn’t necessarily the case. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) hears that Peterson would be just as happy to play out his three-year contract with the Vikings, provided that they are willing to guarantee most of it. Peterson still doesn’t trust team COO Kevin Warren, but, as Cole says, that’s something that can be repaired.
Meanwhile, a source close to the situation believes that if the disgruntled running back isn’t traded before or during next week’s draft, the Vikings wouldn’t deal him to another team before the 2015 season, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes.
“If he’s not traded next week, they’re going to keep him,” the source said.
The source’s reasoning was that if the Vikings want to trade Peterson, they never will have more leverage than during the draft. Minnesota, he posited, could be able to entice a team once top backs Melvin Gordon and Todd Gurley are off the board. Interestingly, the source did not believe that the Raiders were truly in the mix for AD, despite reports indicating that they are.
Peterson’s deal calls for cap numbers of $15.4MM in 2015, $15MM in 2016, and $17MM in 2017. With assurance that a good chunk of his $40MM+ deal will be guaranteed, it sounds like the running back could change his tune about staying in Minnesota.