There’s about to be a big name on the NFL’s free-agent market. Whether he can still play, however, is up for debate.
The Minnesota Vikings announced Tuesday they won’t extend the 2017 option for running back Adrian Peterson, making him an unrestricted free agent when the NFL season opens March 9.
The move could end Peterson’s tenure with the Vikings after 10 years, but Minnesota sounds open to having him return.
“Adrian is an important part of the Minnesota Vikings organization,” Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said in a statement. “We will continue to have conversations with his representatives and leave our future options open while determining what is best for both parties moving forward.”
Peterson’s early seasons put him in the conversation for greatest running back of all time, but injuries and off-field issues have limited him in the past few seasons. He’s appeared in just 20 games over the last three seasons. He saw something of a resurgence in 2015 when he led the league in rushing yards (1,485), but he appeared in just three games in 2016, rushing the ball 37 times for just 72 yards.
He’ll be 32 when the 2017 NFL season begins.
Thumbnail photo via Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports Images
