Adrian Peterson Returns To Exempt List
SATURDAY, 11:25 am: Peterson has released a statement regarding the judge’s ruling, but he doesn’t mention the league’s anticipated appeal (via the Vikings website):
“I was pleased to learn about Judge Doty’s decision. It is a positive step in protecting players’ rights and preserving due process for all players. It also brings me one step closer to getting back on the football field and playing the sport I love. As I prepare for my return to football, I am still focused on my family and continue to work to become a better father every day. I want to express my gratitude for all of the support I have received from the fans, NFLPA, Jeffrey Kessler, and my agents Ben Dogra, Tracy Lartigue, and Mark Heligman from Relativity Sports.”
THURSDAY, 5:21pm: The Vikings released a statement regarding Peterson (via Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune on Twitter):
“Adrian Peterson is an important member of the Minnesota Vikings, and our focus remains on welcoming him back when he is able to rejoin our organization. Today’s ruling leaves Adrian’s status under the control of the NFL, the NFLPA and the legal system, and we will have no further comment at this time.”
4:17pm: The league has officially announced that it believes Judge Doty’s ruling on Peterson is “incorrect” and confirmed it has filed an appeal to have the decision reviewed by the Eight Circuit Court (Twitter link via Garafolo). In the meantime, the Vikings running back has been placed back on the commissioner’s exempt list.
2:23pm: The NFL is expected to appeal the ruling handed down by Judge Doty, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
12:04pm: The NFLPA has released the following statement in response to today’s ruling from Judge Doty:
“This is a victory for the rule of law, due process and fairness. Our collective bargaining agreement has rules for implementation of the personal conduct policy and when those rules are violated, our union always stands up to protect our players’ rights. This is yet another example why neutral arbitration is good for our players, good for the owners and good for our game.”
11:29am: Judge David Doty has ruled in favor of the NFL Players Association and Adrian Peterson, granting the union’s motion to overturn the decision on the running back’s suspension, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link). As Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets, that means Peterson should have his suspension lifted and will be reinstated, well before the April 15 date the NFL had originally planned on.
After Peterson’s legal case concluded in the fall, he was removed from the commissioner’s exempt list and was suspended for the remainder of the 2014 season, with no opportunity to be reinstated until April. Arbitrator Harold Henderson upheld the league’s ruling, but the NFLPA challenged Henderson’s decision, arguing that the NFL had arbitrarily changed its rules when it disciplined Peterson. It seems Doty agreed with that assessment.
While being reinstated several weeks early wouldn’t have an impact on whether or not Peterson will return to the field for 2015 – which he would have done either way – the decision should significantly affect the Vikings’ plans for him. When it looked as if Peterson wouldn’t be reinstated until at least April 15, Minnesota retained a certain amount of leverage, since the number of potential suitors for the 29-year-old would been limited — most clubs would have completed their major free agent spending by that point.
Now that Peterson figures to return to the Vikings’ active roster immediately, the team will likely make a decision on him around the time the free agent period begins. The former MVP currently counts for a $15.4MM cap hit on the Vikings’ 2015 books, and it’s unlikely the club will want to carry such a large figure for a running back who essentially sat out the entire 2014 season. The two sides could begin discussing the possibility of a pay cut, a contract restructure, or a trade, with an eye toward reaching a resolution sometime in the near future.
Of course, as is often the case with legal proceedings, Doty’s decision doesn’t necessarily signal the end of the ongoing Peterson saga. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk tweets, the NFL has appeal rights on the judge’s ruling. Albert Breer of the NFL Network notes (via Twitter) that the league can seek an injunction to keep Peterson from being reinstated. For now, the league has simply said that it is reviewing Doty’s decision, and hasn’t suggested whether or not that decision will be challenged.
It wouldn’t be a total surprise if the NFL elected to stand down and cut its losses at this point, recognizing that Peterson will be back on the field in September regardless of whether his reinstatement comes in February or April. But it’s not a good look for the league to be overruled on this matter after having the same thing happened during Ray Rice‘s case back in November.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Extra Points: Young, Sam, Cassel, Pats RBs
The NFL will hold its first-ever combine for veteran players March 22 in Tempe, Ariz. Like the scouting combine, which takes place every February and is designed for teams to observe draft prospects, the veteran edition will include position drills and physical tests. At least two household names will be among the 100 invitees participating at the combine. Quarterback Vince Young and defensive end Michael Sam will be in attendance, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com and ESPN’s Adam Schefter, respectively.
Young, whom the Titans chose third overall in the 2006 draft, last appeared in an NFL game in 2011 as a member of the Eagles. The one-time Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Texas announced his retirement last June after a disappointing career that included stints with five different organizations. The 31-year-old Young has had a change of heart, though, and will try to return to the league. His attempt at blazing a comeback trail will begin at the combine.
One of the players joining Young will be Sam, 25, the ex-University of Missouri star who has made headlines since last year as the first openly gay player drafted into the NFL. The seventh-round pick of the Rams last April hasn’t yet appeared in an NFL game and hasn’t been a member of a team since the Cowboys released him from their practice squad in October. Although Tom Pelissero of USA Today reported earlier this month that Sam has a one-year contract offer on the table from the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes, Sam wrote last week on MMQB.com that, despite ups and downs, he has “remained focused on getting back on an NFL roster.”
Elsewhere around the league…
- The Bills were one of two serious contenders for the services of quarterback Josh McCown, who signed with the Browns on Friday. Having lost out on McCown, Buffalo will continue its search for a veteran QB and, per Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo, could turn to the Vikings’ Matt Cassel. Minnesota would save $4.75MM on its 2015 cap by cutting or trading Cassel prior to June 1. The 32-year-old has garnered extensive playing experience (91 games, 71 starts) as a member of three franchises in 10 seasons and, if he ends up with the Bills, could serve as competition for EJ Manuel.
- Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald reported earlier this month that Patriots running back Shane Vereen was hoping to cash in on the free agent market to the tune of $5MM annually. Vereen laughed off the report via Twitter on Thursday and called it “not true.” Vereen, who will turn 26 next week, has been a useful cog in the Pats’ offense the last couple years, especially as a pass catcher. The former second-round pick has hauled in a combined 99 passes and six touchdowns in 24 games over the previous two seasons. As a runner, he has averaged a solid 4.2 yards per carry, albeit on just 217 attempts, during his four-year career.
- Vereen isn’t the only Pats RB looking toward free agency. Stevan Ridley is also on track to hit the market next month. “I’m excited about it,” the 26-year-old told Sirius NFL XM hosts Jim Miller and Pat Kirwan on Friday, according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. Ridley went on to say that he’d “love” to stay in New England, but acknowledged that signing someplace else could present “more opportunities.” Ridley has averaged 4.3 yards per carry and scored 22 touchdowns in four seasons with the Patriots. His best output was in 2012, when he rushed for the seventh-most yards in the league (1,263) and eight scores.
North Notes: Felton, Peterson, Canty, Suh
Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio today, former Vikings fullback Jerome Felton, who opted out of his contract at season’s end, said he has talked to his old team about the possibility of a reunion (Twitter link). Felton went on to say he wouldn’t close the door on re-signing with the Vikings, though it sounds as if a possible return for the veteran fullback may hinge on whether or not Adrian Peterson stays with the team. Felton has, of course, been Peterson’s lead blocker since 2012, earning a Pro Bowl nod during the season in which the MVP ran for nearly 2,100 yards.
Here’s more on Peterson, along with a few more items from out of the NFL’s two North divisions:
- Barring something unexpected, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link) expects Peterson to ultimately end up with the Vikings, Cowboys, Colts, or Cardinals for the 2015 season.
- Although the Ravens released veteran defensive lineman Chris Canty today, he expects to continue playing in 2015, and Baltimore hasn’t ruled out the possibility of bringing him back at a lesser salary, according to GM Ozzie Newsome. “We certainly would not close the door to Chris coming back to us,” Newsome said (Twitter link via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com).
- If the Lions shell out the money necessary to keep Ndamukong Suh locked up for multiple seasons, it may be a big gamble for the franchise, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. As Birkett outlines, teams in similar situations in the past have had mixed results when making a big investment in a star player.
- Birkett has a second piece on Suh today for the Free Press, identifying the Raiders, Jaguars, Colts, and Jets as the likeliest suitors for the star defensive linemen if he doesn’t return to the Lions.
Vikings Release Charlie Johnson
Veteran guard Charlie Johnson has started 61 of 64 potential regular season games for the Vikings over the past four years, but it appears he won’t be back for the 2015 season. The Vikings announced today (via Twitter) that they’ve terminated Johnson’s contract, which had been set to expire a year from now.
Johnson had no dead bonus money left on his deal, so by avoiding paying his $2.45MM base salary and $50K workout bonus for the 2015 season, the Vikings will wipe his entire $2.5MM cap number from their books. Johnson, meanwhile, will have the opportunity to go out and try to find work immediately, without having to pass through waivers or wait until next month’s free agent period.
Of course, it remains to be seen what sort of market there will be for Johnson. Despite his extensive experience (115 career starts), the 31-year-old received a negative grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in each of his four years in Minnesota, including a -12.1 mark in 2014.
Extra Points: Bush, Peterson, Skrine
Reggie Bush is available, but he’s not the answer to the Saints‘ problems, Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune writes. Bush was the very first draft pick Sean Payton’s nine-year tenure in New Orleans, but they’re probably prioritizing a new deal for the 25-year-old Mark Ingram instead.
The Saints remain saddled with the NFL’s worst cap situation at more than $21MM over, which makes adding a running back entering his age-30 season probably a non-starter.
In other news around the league …
- Money is the overlooked factor in the drama between Adrian Peterson and the Vikings, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. Peterson might be unhappy with perceived slights from the organization, but the reality is that he could earn $12.75MM with the Vikings in 2015 and it’s not clear if another team would pay him that much, especially after giving up whatever is necessary in compensation to the Vikings in a trade.
- Wide receiver Kevin Dorsey, who was cut by the Packers last week along with tight end Brandon Bostick, has three more visits with teams scheduled for next week after meeting with the Patriots, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
- Browns cornerback Buster Skrine is attracting plenty of interest from other teams, sources told Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Serving as the No. 2 corner to Joe Haden on last season’s No. 8-ranked pass defense that didn’t get much out of No. 8 overall pick Justin Gilbert, the soon-to-be 26-year-old Skrine could command as much as $7MM per year, per Cabot, on the free agent market headlined by Brandon Flowers, Kareem Jackson and Byron Maxwell.
- The Bucs hired Paul Spicer as assistant defensive line coach, per the Baltimore Sun’s Wilson on Twitter. A former Jaguars defensive end, Spicer previously served as the Jaguars assistant DL coach and played under current Tampa Bay defensive line coach Joe Cullen for the Jags.
Luke Adams and Sam Robinson contributed to this report
Tuesday Roundup: Cassel, Winston, Peterson
Vikings GM Rick Spielman said that nothing definitive has been decided about bringing Matt Cassel back to the team, but Spielman was complimentary of his veteran signal-caller when discussing him earlier this week. “We went through our process, we evaluated all of our players,” Spielman said, according to Brian Hall of FOXSportsNorth.com. “We looked at everything from what they bring to our football team, in the locker room, off the field, what they bring to us on the field. But we also have to look at where they’re at from a standpoint of their contract, where we’re at from a cap standpoint…Matt’s done a great job. Came in and has won some games when he had to play. He’s a great locker-room guy. Matt has a lot of value to us.” Cassel is signed for the 2015 season at a salary of $4.15MM, and he’ll count $4.75MM against the cap.
Now for some more links from around the league on this Tuesday evening:
- Tahir Whitehead filled in capably for Stephen Tulloch when Tulloch went out last season, and that leaves the Lions with an interesting choice this offseason, as Kyle Meinke of MLive.com writes. Detroit could continue to roll with Whitehead at middle linebacker and carve out some space by parting ways with Tulloch. The 30-year-old is slated to count $5.8MM against the cap next season. Whitehead, meanwhile, costs just $713K.
- The consensus around the league is that the Buccaneers will draft Jameis Winston with the No. 1 overall pick, according to a tweet from the NFL Network (citing its own Ian Rapoport).
- The Colts are in dire need of a running back, and Mike Wells of ESPN.com writes that the team will be closely monitoring the Adrian Peterson situation. If Peterson and the Vikings part ways, Indianapolis GM Ryan Grigson, a noted risk-taker, may pull the trigger.
- Falcons defensive end Osi Umenyiora has no plans to retire, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Umenyiora, 33, will become a free agent on March 10, and he said he would like to play at least one more season. If he could choose, Umenyiora stated that he would like to finish his career where it started: with the Giants.
- Packers fullback John Kuhn is one of the last members of a dying breed, but the impending free agent reaffirmed his importance to the Green Bay offense in 2014, earning first team All-Pro honors for the first time in his career. As Weston Hodkiewicz of PackersNews.com writes, there is mutual interest in Kuhn’s return to the Packers.
- Former Australian rugby star Jarryd Hayne, who has garnered interest from at least a dozen teams, is expected to sign with a club this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (writing for the National Football Post).
- Bill Williamson of ESPN.com believes middle linebacker Nate Irving could be a fit with the Raiders if the impending free agent is not re-signed by the Broncos.
- Parys Haralson, who signed a one-year deal with the Saints in February, hopes to end his career in New Orleans, writes Katherine Terrell of the Times-Picayune.
- Jason Fitzerald of OverTheCap.com provides the Panthers‘ salary cap outlook for the 2015 season.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Vikings Notes: Peterson, Smith, Brzezinski
Minnesota has Kevin Garnett and Torii Hunter back, but they might lose another star before long. Adrian Peterson is unhappy with the Vikings and, from the way it sounds, things might be beyond the point of repair. While you get caught up on the latest drama here, here’s more on the Vikings and AP:
- Peterson is just the latest player to have a rift with the Vikings, Michael Rand of the Star Tribune writes. Some might be thinking that AP is simply looking for leverage, but history shows that might not be the case. Randy Moss was acting out at the end of the 2004 season and by March of 2005, he was a goner. The club also tried to downplay rifts with Daunte Culpepper and Percy Harvin in the past and both were wearing different uniforms before long.
- The Vikings will be on the lookout this offseason for an upgrade at safety to complement Harrison Smith, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Considering Landon Collins may be the only rookie safety drafted in the first two rounds this spring, the team figures to prioritize the position in free agency.
- Patrick Reusse of the Star Tribune isn’t surprised that Rob Brzezinski, the Vikings’ chief negotiator, got into it with Adrian Peterson’s agent at an Indianapolis restaurant last Friday. Back in 2001, the scribe writes that he also got into a run-in with the exec. The Vikings beat reporters were trading one-liners at the team’s expense during a one-sided blowout and some words that are not fit for print were exchanged.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Adrian Peterson Rumors: Monday
Adrian Peterson isn’t eligible for reinstatement for nearly two more months, but there has certainly been no shortage of rumors swirling around the embattled running back over the last week at the league’s scouting combine in Indianapolis. Last Thursday, we learned that Peterson was “uneasy” about the prospect of returning to the Vikings; on Saturday, a report indicated the Vikings aren’t interested in trading the former MVP; and on Sunday, we heard that Peterson hasn’t formally requested a trade and is open to the idea of returning to Minnesota.
What’s the latest on the ongoing situation? Let’s dive in and round up today’s updates….
- Peterson’s father told Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press that he believes Vikings COO Kevin Warren was against Adrian Peterson coming back to the team last season. “Kevin Warren was a major player in the push last year to not have Adrian reinstated,” Nelson Peterson said. “We had our sources that we knew that Kevin wasn’t working for Adrian to get him back on the field and was working to keep Adrian off the field.” He also indicated that the fight between Dogra and Brzezinski centered around a conversation about Warren.
- ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling (Twitter link) hears from a source that Dogra and Brzezinski were seen talking cordially in Indianapolis on Saturday after their altercation earlier in the week (detailed below). Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities (Twitter link) conveys a similar sentiment, reporting that there’s a “mutual respect” between the two, and they’ll be “fine.”
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com suggests that if the Vikings were to guarantee a portion of Peterson’s salary for the next season or two, it would go a long way toward settling the stand-off between the two sides (Twitter link). I have to think the running back would need to take a pay cut as part of that agreement for the team to consider it.
- Peterson’s father, Nelson Peterson, tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that his son remains open to playing for the Vikings again, despite the reported comments from his agent. “He hasn’t closed the door on saying, ‘I won’t play for the Vikings.’” the elder Peterson said. “He hasn’t demanded a trade.”
Earlier updates:
- Accoring to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, Peterson’s agent Ben Dogra had to be separated from a member of the Vikings’ front office during a “heated verbal altercation” at the combine. Multiple sources tell La Canfora that Vikings VP Rob Brzezinski was the executive in question, and that Dogra made it clear during the exchange that his client would never play in Minnesota again.
- Sources tell La Canfora that Peterson has lost faith and trust in the Vikings franchise after their handling of his situation, as he spent most of the 2014 season on the commissioner’s exempt list. “He will never play another game for the Vikings,” one person close to Peterson said to La Canfora. “It’s over.”
- Addressing the recent reports on Peterson, including La Canfora’s, Michael Rand of the Star Tribune tries to figure out what to make of them, noting that both sides are trying to gain leverage in what figures to be a tricky situation.
- Discussing potential suitors for Peterson if he’s traded or cut, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (video link) identifies the Cowboys, Colts, and Jets as teams that may be interested.
Minor Moves: Monday
Let’s round up today’s minor moves, with any new transactions being added to the top of the list:
- The Raiders have signed kicker Giorgio Tavecchio, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Oakland originally claimed Tavecchio off waivers from Detroit on August 26 of last year, but waived him just four days later as it moved down to a 53-man roster.
- The Vikings have added linebacker Brian Peters, the club announced in a press release. Peters, a Northwestern alum, has spent the past two years with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders, leading the team in tackles in 2014.
NFC Links: Cardinals, Fairley, Cowboys, Vikings
The Oscar’s were the big story this Sunday, but in case you missed any of the NFL tidbits that spread while you were rooting for your favorite movie of the year, here are some links surrounding NFC teams:
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com takes a look at the Cardinals salary cap situation going into the offseason. He writes that the team should be all in on 2015, and could afford to take some risks to put them over the top.
- Cardinals running back Andre Ellington averaged only 3.3 yards per carry this past season under an increased workload, down from a fantastic 5.5 yards per carry as a rookie in 2013. The organization still believes he can be the focal point of the offense, but that he needs to get bigger and stronger in order to carry that load, writes Chris Wesseling of NFL.com
- The Lions had a very positive interview with defensive tackle Nick Fairley at the combine today, and expressed interest in keeping him in Detroit, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- In Cowboys’ news, Kevin Sherrington of DallasNews.com suggests that the team is not dependent on a Dez Bryant deal in order to move on with other roster moves this offseason, and his colleague Rainer Sabin writes that he does not expect the franchise tag to alter Bryant’s on-field performance if the Cowboys decide to use it on him this offseason.
- The Vikings’ front office has been looking closely at running backs in the combine, with plans to either supplement or replace Adrian Peterson depending on what happens this offseason, writes Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
- Washington executive A.J. Smith will not be returning to the team, according to Zac Boyer of the Washington Times who cites a Providence Journal report (via Twitter). Boyer notes that this isn’t a surprise, as team president Bruce Allen hinted at it when Scott McCloughan was hired as the team’s general manager.