Adrian Peterson's agent said Wednesday night that the Minnesota Vikings will not cut the former MVP-winning running back.
Ben Dogra told the media that Minnesota's general manager Rick Spielman told him Wednesday that the team has no plans to release Peterson.
"It was important for me to relay the position the Vikings are taking to Adrian," Dogra said to Fox Sports. "I want to make sure there is absolutely no confusion whatsoever."
Peterson reportedly traveled to New York on Monday for another string of meetings with Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf, in addition to Spielman, regarding his doubts about returning to Minnesota next season.
Peterson said last month that he was "still uneasy" about coming back to the Vikings after the team put him on the NFL's exempt list last September. Reports came out a few weeks later that he still had not changed his mind. Peterson, who pleaded no contest back in November to misdemeanor reckless injury after using a branch to discipline his 4-year-old son last year, was suspended on Nov. 18 for the remainder of the season.
Federal judge David Doty ruled that the NFL must vacate Peterson's suspension on Feb. 26, which moved him back to the commissioner's exempt list, enabling the Vikings to open up a dialogue with the former face of the franchise.
Peterson, who will turn 30 on Saturday, is scheduled to earn $12.75 million in 2015 while counting $15.4 million against the salary cap, the highest mark in the league for a running back. If the Vikings deem that too high a price to pay for a disgruntled employee, the team could trade him.
"Obviously, he's an MVP-caliber player," Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald told reporter on Wednesday. "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."
The Oakland Raiders have also been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Peterson. With roughly $30 million in salary cap space still open, the Raiders have more than enough room to absorb Peterson's massive contract.
