The Viking Age
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Is any team going to sign Adrian Peterson this offseason?

By Adam Patrick

Dec 10, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson on the sidelines in the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Vikings 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 10, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson on the sidelines in the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Vikings 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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The former Minnesota Vikings running back has yet to sign a contract with a new team, despite free agency starting more than a week ago.

Heading into the 2017 offseason, there was plenty of uncertainty surrounding the future of running back Adrian Peterson with the Minnesota Vikings. Well, the Vikings decided not to pick up Peterson’s contract option for 2017 and the running back became a free-agent for the first time in his career on March 9.

Dec 18, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) carries the ball during the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 18, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) carries the ball during the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /

More than a week later, Minnesota has signed a new running back in Latavius Murray and Peterson is still without an NFL contract for the 2017 season.

The former Vikings running back has garnered some interest around the league since free agency started and even went out to visit with the Seattle Seahawks (but they opted to sign Eddie Lacy instead).

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There have been rumors of a few other teams potentially meeting with Peterson, but the Seahawks are still the only team the free-agent running back has officially met with so far this offseason.

Despite being regarded as one of the top free-agents this year (by the media outside of Minnesota who did not know any better), no team has made a real effort to add Peterson to their roster. So what seems to be the hold up?

Is it the fact that the soon-to-be 32-year-old running back struggles to run out of the shotgun? A formation which continues to grow in use by a majority of the team’s around the league today.

Or is it perhaps that despite being in the NFL for 10 seasons, Peterson still struggles to excel at a simple pass blocking assignment? What team would not want him to miss a block that leads to their quarterback getting pummeled?

Maybe it is the fact that his ego is not small enough to fit inside Minnesota’s U.S. Bank Stadium and he still believes his worth is equal to or more than the $18 million he was scheduled to make in 2017 before the Vikings declined his option?

This is the NFL Adrian. Players get paid based on their recent production, not what they have done in the distant past.

Next: Vikings can easily opt out of Murray's contract after 2017

Peterson is going to have to face the fact that he is not going to get the deal he thinks he deserves. But until he comes to this realization, his time as a free-agent is only going to continue.

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