The Minnesota Vikings have officially placed running back Adrian Peterson on injured reserve due to his torn lateral meniscus. Since his condition will sideline him for a very long time, would the team be as loyal to him as he is to the team and not waive him?
Peterson suffered his injury during last week's game against the Green Bay Packers. As confirmed by the team, he suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee and is expected to return after about three to six months.
Instead of looking for an outsider to replace the running back, the Vikings have turned to Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata to play on Peterson's place.
Back in 2014, after Peterson was suspended, Asiata and McKinnon played interchangeable in his place. During that season, these two athletes racked up a total of 1,108 yards.
Given their versatility and playing skills, the Vikings will most likely have no problems running the ball with them. They can also help improve the team's plays since these two will give coach Mike Zimmer plenty of options on the field.
"I have a lot of confidence in those two guys," the coach said earlier this week. "They're both different types of runners, but I think the combination of the two can help us."
Given the way these two have been playing, it seems the Vikings will be able to do fairly well during Peterson's long absence. It could even give the team the option to waive and clear up some cap space.
However, releasing Peterson from the roster or even trading him away will probably not be an option for the team in the future even if he comes back in good playing condition. Recently, sources close to the organization claimed that the Vikings are prepared to do whatever it takes to keep Peterson within the franchise.
Apparently, the team is hoping that the 31-year-old athlete will choose to retire as a member of the Minnesota organization. However, in order to turn this into a reality, the Vikings will most likely negotiate a new contract with the star running back.
For this season, Peterson is expected to receive $12 million in base salary as well as workout bonuses. On top of this, he is also entitled to get another $6 million for his roster bonus.
Given these figures, the Vikings will have to think of a way to clear salary room in order to retain Peterson.
