NFL Trade Rumors: Could Minnesota Vikings Trade Adrian Peterson to Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys?
Adrian Peterson may be one of the best running backs in the National Football League, but he played just one game last season.
After being indicted on child abuse charges last year, the Minnesota Vikings and the league agreed to suspend Peterson for the remainder of the season.
Peterson and the Vikings definitely have a fractured relationship with each other. Peterson has played his entire career with the Vikings, but many NFL insiders feel that he wants out.
According to multiple reports, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are very interested in acquiring Peterson via trade this offseason.
Doug Martin is a great running back for the Buccaneers, but he has struggled to stay healthy. Martin had a phenomenal rookie season rushing for 1,454 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, but again, he has struggled to stay on the field the last two seasons for the Buccaneers. Another important factor to remember is that Martin has just one year remaining on his contract until he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
As for Peterson, he is still has three years remaining on his contract where he is scheduled to count $47.4 million against the salary cap. The Buccaneers have been making many cuts to their roster lately, and they do have a lot of salary cap space. They can afford Peterson, and Peterson wants to play there.
Peterson recently said that his "preferred" teams were the Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals and Buccaneers.
The Colts won't be getting Peterson this offseason, as they have already signing former San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore. The Vikings could trade Peterson away to the Chargers because they play in a completely separate conference. However, if they want to maximize their value, the Cowboys could be the best option.
There's a chance DeMarco Murray, last year's leading rusher, will sign with the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. The Cowboys depended so much on their ground game last season, and Jerry Jones needs a replacement. Peterson has expressed interest in playing for the Cowboys numerous times in the past. It would cost a lot to trade for Peterson, but it may be worth it for the Cowboys.
Tony Romo's elite window is closing and Dez Bryant may not return after next season once he becomes a free agent.
Peterson, a Texas native, would love to play for the Cowboys and have a chance at winning something big in the playoffs. It would be very tough for the Vikings to trade away their best player, but it would be worth it. The reality is the Vikings have only won one playoff game with Peterson, and that's when Brett Favre was the quarterback. Here is the chance for the Vikings to get back a lot of value, like the Cowboys did to them in 1989 with the Herschel Walker trade.
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