The Vikings seemed to signal that running back Adrian Peterson’s comeback from a torn meniscus in his knee wouldn’t extend to a second week when they promoted rookie running back C.J. Ham from the practice squad on Friday morning and they made it official a little bit later in the day.
Peterson has been ruled out after adding a groin injury to his medical troubles in his return to action last Sunday and missing practice this week. It’s hard to say Peterson’s loss will be a major blow to the Vikings offense as it wasn’t any good with him against the Colts, but a surge back to form is no longer anything for the Packers to worry about.
The Vikings have one game left in the regular season and there’s a pretty good chance it won’t mean anything for them other than where they are picking in the draft, so this could mean we’ve seen the last of Peterson in a Vikings uniform. His $18 million cap number for next year can be erased without any dead money and no one around the team is making guarantees about Peterson’s return in 2017.
Safety Harrison Smith, who returned to practice Thursday after missing several weeks with an ankle injury, has been listed as questionable. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs has the same designation while the team has ruled out guard Brandon Fusco, wide receiver Laquon Treadwell and fullback Zach Line.
