Former MVP running back Adrian Peterson has officially been reinstated after missing 15 games last season following his arrest for child abuse. So where will he play in 2015?
The Minnesota Vikings have repeatedly denied any interest in trading Peterson, who has said that he wants out. But paying an unhappy 30-year-old running back upwards of $12 million in 2015 may not be the most appealing option for the Vikings, so it's always possible that they reverse course. The Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals have been mentioned as possible trade partners. Even the Jacksonville Jaguars have been floated as a landing spot. But the Oakland Raiders are just as likely, if not more, to win a possible Peterson sweepstakes.
For starters, Peterson enjoyed his 2,000-plus yard season under offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave in Minnesota. Guess who the new Oakland offensive coordinator is?
The Raiders also have around $20 million in salary cap space. That will come in handy because Peterson carries a cap hit of $15.4 million next season. There are very few teams in the league that could stomach such a contract. In fact, there are only nine teams with the necessary space to absorb Peterson's deal, barring a restructure.
Moving Peterson from the NFC to the AFC would also likely appeal to the Vikings. No one would want to face him with a chip on his shoulder. However, a Peterson trade would create a bit of a logjam in Oakland's backfield. The Raiders signed Trent Richardson and Roy Helu this offseason, and Latavius Murray is expected to take on a larger role this year. Obviously, Peterson would jump ahead of all three if he were acquired.
Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie may not be too keen to give up valuable draft picks for an aging running back with a big contract. But the Raiders promised their fans multiple stars this offseason and then failed to sign any real impact offensive players. Adding Peterson could potentially transform this running game and alleviate a lot from second-year quarterback Derek Carr.
Will a deal between these two sides actually happen? I have no idea. But I do know that the Raiders should at least be thinking about it.
