Adrian Peterson to become unrestricted free agent on March 9
By Adam Carlson
The Minnesota Vikings have decided not to exercise Adrian Peterson’s option for 2017, making him an unrestricted free agent when the new league year starts.
As many experts and fans expected, the Minnesota Vikings were not going to pay Adrian Peterson the $18 million he was scheduled to make in 2017. The team made the hard decision to not exercise the option on Peterson and let him hit free agency for the first time in his career.
Peterson will become an unrestricted free agent on Thursday, March 9, 2017. At that point, he is free to sign with any NFL team that offers him a contract. Considering the legacy the running back has created in Minnesota, there could be some interested parties,
Even before Adrian’s release, there were many reports linking him to other teams. Squads like the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and even the Green Bay Packers have been thrown around as potential candidates for his services, but anything can happen in today’s NFL.
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Adrian Peterson will flourish best on a team that runs out of the I Formation and uses a fullback. Sadly, not many teams use this system on a regular basis, making his fit among many teams rather difficult.
Despite that, there should be a market, or at least a lot of interest, in a player who has established themselves on the field the way Adrian Peterson has in the past. It will be interesting to see what kind of role he takes on wherever he lands or if he remains the featured part of an offense.
"“Adrian is an important part of the Minnesota Vikings organization,” said Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman on Vikings.com. “We will continue to have conversations with his representatives and leave our future options open while determining what is best for both parties moving forward.”"
Next: What is next for the Vikings backfield?
While the door isn’t closed on Adrian Peterson returning to Minnesota, odds are that both he and the team are looking for a fresh start. We at The Viking Age would like to wish Peterson the best of luck wherever he lands for the 2017 season.