It’s starting.
As the prime years of running back Adrian Peterson’s begin to evaporate, the future Hall of Famer is thinking about the possibility of finishing his career in his home state of Texas.
We know that he’s thinking about it, because he’s talking about it.
“You know, I’d be a liar if I said it’s something that hasn’t crossed my mind before,” told ESPN Radio on Thursday.
In fairness, Peterson followed that by suggesting he’s committed to staying with the Vikings.
“I’ve also said to myself it would be so amazing to be one of those players who stays with one team his entire career, it would be good if I could do that,” Peterson said.
And then he followed it with more talk about playing in Texas.
"[B]eing from Texas, I’ve always wondered, wow, it would be cool to play in Dallas, to play back home. Or to play in Houston,” Peterson said.
Peterson grew up outside of Dallas, rooting for the Cowboys. He spends the offseason in Houston.
Though he’s under contract through 2017, Peterson eventually may decide he wants out of a team with an offense that, but for Brett Favre’s first season with the Vikings, hasn’t had much of a passing game. Peterson has seen former teammate Percy Harvin want out of Minnesota and get his wish; why shouldn’t one of the most important players in team history get the same consideration?
A potential trade to Dallas would be fitting, given that the Cowboys once traded running back Herschel Walker to the Vikings for an obscene haul of draft picks and players. Peterson would generate much less than Walker, even though Peterson was and remains the better player.
The other problem for a team like the Cowboys would be fitting Peterson’s contract under the team’s salary cap. With a $100 million quarterback and a cap bulge for 2014 that already exceeds $30 million, it’s a move that can’t happen within the next year.
Come 2015, who knows? Especially if the Vikings continue to swing and miss in their efforts to complement one of the best running backs in league history with a reasonably competent passing game.