The Minnesota Vikings and Adrian Peterson have agreed to restructure the final three years of his contract. The move was announced by the Vikings on Tuesday, and statements from both Peterson and the team were released.
"I appreciate the Vikings for working together on this restructured contract, which provides additional security for me but also allows opportunities for me to further prove my value to the team and within the NFL," Peterson said. "It was important for me to continue my career in Minnesota, and I cannot wait to get on the field in front of Vikings fans again."
Vikings general manager Rick Spielman echoed Peterson's thoughts, saying the contract is a win for both sides.
"This agreement is a win for both Adrian and the Vikings and is a positive step toward Adrian finishing his career as a Minnesota Viking," Spielman said. "As we have consistently said, Adrian is a valuable part of the Vikings organization and we look forward to his return to the field."
Here are three things to know about the deal.
1) Financial security
Adrian Peterson wanted more financial security, and now it appears the Vikings have granted his wish. Though the exact numbers and details regarding the restructuring aren't known, it's clear based on Peterson's statement that he's now getting more financial security.
Before the two sides agreed to redo his deal, Peterson was scheduled to earn $45 million in the next three years, but none of that money was guaranteed. Now, it appears that Peterson will be guaranteed at least something.
According to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, Peterson's new deal ups the money that he's guaranteed, though it decreases his base salaries in the years to come.
2) A long battle
Peterson has been chasing guaranteed money for a while now. His struggle for guaranteed cash reached its peak back in May, when he embarked upon a lengthy Twitter rant about the nature of NFL contracts.
A small sample of the rant is below and you can check out the full rant here.
I love people who think they know it all! Smh, Research how many NFL teams hasn't honored a player's contract & learn something.
— Adrian Peterson (@AdrianPeterson) May 28, 2015
I know hundreds of player's that wished their team would've HONORED the contract! But instead got threw to the side like like trash.
— Adrian Peterson (@AdrianPeterson) May 28, 2015
A lill crazy how one side has so much power that they can do as they please when it come to the contract! But when the other-side (player's)
— Adrian Peterson (@AdrianPeterson) May 28, 2015
At one point, CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reported that Peterson was willing to retire over the dispute.
3) Not going anywhere
Peterson might have considered retiring at some point, but now the issue is a dead one. Peterson probably isn't going anywhere, at least for three seasons. And that's probably good news for the Vikings, even if Peterson has hit the dreaded age of 30.
Peterson missed pretty much all of last season, but in 2013 he played in 14 games and managed to put up over 1,200 yards on the ground and 10 touchdowns. And, in his career, Peterson has rushed for more than 10,000 yards and has averaged a tremendous five yards per carry.
It's not unreasonable to think that Peterson is going to decline in the years to come, but then again, he hardly played in 2014, so his legs should be fresh for this upcoming season. With quarterback Teddy Bridgewater entering his second year in the league, with Mike Wallace now onboard, and with a young core on defense, it's not unreasonable to think the Vikings have built a playoff contender for the next few seasons.
Despite his age, Peterson should play a role in getting the Vikings back to the postseason.
