The Vikings recently informed Adrian Peterson that he will not be released this offseason, leaving a trade as the star running back's lone avenue out of Minnesota.
Reports persist that Peterson remains unhappy with the organization even after meeting with the Vikings brass at his home earlier this month.
Appearing on NFL Total Access on Thursday, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport cautioned that we are "only at the beginning of the Adrian Peterson saga" that will play out this offseason.
Although Arizona has reportedly balked at Peterson's contract as presently structured, Yahoo's Charles Robinson reported last week that the Cardinalswill offer a high draft pick if Peterson hits the trading block.
The team isn't exactly downplaying its interest, running an article on its official website Wednesday wherein Larry Fitzgerald touts Peterson as a potential "game-changer" for the Cardinals.
"Obviously, he's an MVP-caliber player," Fitzgerald said. "Everybody knows that. 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 ballclub."
Any team interested in acquiring him will have to meet not only the Vikings' demands for draft-pick compensation but also Peterson's contract expectations speculated to be roughly $25 millionover the next three years.
If those two roadblocks sound familiar it's because they were also held up as the reasonSam Bradford was unlikely to be traded. All it takes is one team that places a sky-high value on a generational talent with the potential to bolster his teammates and galvanize a fan base.
Sporting a massive chip on his shoulder after missing the majority of last season, Peterson must look like a godsend to a Cardinals organization prying open a Super Bowl window for the last few years of Carson Palmer's career.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast makes some bold free agency predictions and discusses Adrian Peterson's future. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
