Mike Zimmer didn’t get to spend much time with running back Adrian Peterson during his first season as the Vikings’ head coach and he’d like to know as soon as possible whether that will be the case again in 2015.
Peterson is suspended by the league under the personal conduct policy after pleading no contest to recklessly injuring his son earlier this year and is eligible for reinstatement on April 15. It could come earlier if a lawsuit challenging the suspension is successful. Zimmer hopes that the team finds out sooner rather than later.
“Our hands are partly tied with the NFL and the timeframe that they give us. But also it’s partly up to Adrian to make sure he’s doing what he has to do in order to get back reinstated off the suspension,” Zimmer said, via the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “So those are all factors that we have to factor in, but we would love to know ASAP just so that we can start going because a guy like him your football team and your offense can be different [if] you have him and you don’t have him. It’s how you want to build the team around him, at least in my opinion anyway.”
Reinstatement won’t guarantee Peterson’s return to Minnesota. He’ll carry a cap number of $15.4 million next year and the Vikings may decide not to spend their money that way, although Zimmer seems to be in favor of the running back’s return.
“Well, as I’ve said many, many times, Adrian was always great with me,” Zimmer said. “I think he’s a good person. I think obviously he’s a great running back and if it works out that way and things work out and he gets his life in order -- that’s the most important thing, he gets his life in order, he gets the opportunity to come back -- then I will be in his corner whenever the decision is made.”
Peterson talked about leaving football to pursue Olympic gold this month, but he apparently does plan to play in 2015. When he’ll be back and who he’ll play for remain open for discussion, however.
