In an unsurprising move, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has made it known that he does not intend to attend organized team activities commencing this week in Minnesota. While Peterson has rarely attended these events throughout his playing career, he did partake in them in 2014 for a short period as a sign of respect for then new head coach, Mike Zimmer.
Adrian Peterson Still Wants Out of Minnesota?
What makes this years absence noteworthy is that Peterson will forfeit a $250,000 workout bonus if he misses more than one day of the voluntary training camps. While this is an enormous sum for many, it clearly is a sacrifice Peterson is willing to make to avoid the gaze of the media, public opinion and continue to show his employer he is disgruntled.
These events continue on from well documented child endangerment charges brought against Peterson for his mistreatment of his then 4-year old son in September 2014. This saw Peterson miss all but one of the Vikings games last season and Rodger Goodell’s authority to govern challenged in the courts. This legal battle between the league and players association still rages on.
While this hold out is in no way surprising, it will be the mandatory camp held from the 16th to 18th of June that will be more telling. As it is mandatory, the team can fine Peterson for not attending; a maximum of $72,920 can be levied against the player’s absence, bringing his total losses for the offseason to over $320,000. A princely sum indeed, but when you are the highest paid running back in NFL history and scheduled to earn $12.75 Million the coming league year, he can take the hit in his pocket.
Interestingly while Minnesota can fine Peterson up to $72,920 it is unclear if they will. Relations have become incredibly strained between management and Peterson. It has been widely publicized that Peterson wanted to be traded before the NFL Draft but with no partner emerging willing meet the Vikings reported fee, it was no surprise that he remained in the team plans. Management in Minnesota have chose to play hardball and with this in mind do they treat Peterson like any other player who missed a mandatory camp or do they chose a kid-glove (no pun intended) approach.
Throughout this debacle Peterson has played the victim and it is unclear if he has seen the error of his ways beyond that of public shame. Minnesota has continued to express the team line of ‘he is a player under contract’ so with this in mind I would expect the fine to be implemented and Peterson told to turn up at camp or face the maximum fine possible $30,000 a day.
Where I can see the logic of not attending the organized team activities for the sake of privacy and Peterson can clearly afford the hit in his wage, amounting to 2.5% of his total earnings from the team in 2015, the team must continue the plan of treating Peterson like any other player on the roster. The team has shown that it is not built around him anymore and while he does take them to the next level in competitiveness, he no longer is the only star attraction and focus of the offense.
Peterson must become aware that the possibility of being traded has sailed for this year. The team would be unwilling to give a competitor such a large competitive edge by trading him for a future selection as suggested by Jerry Jones earlier this month. While the possibility of a player trade would still exist, who would meet the price the Vikings would demand and at a position they need help with?
While much Peterson’s unease may stem from the lack of fully guaranteed money left in his contract, he must be realize that he missed most of last season and is over 30 years old. He is in a more stable position than most players in the league; if he were to be cut, Peterson would find employment with another team in a heartbeat. Added to this, his $12.75 million salary for 2015 becomes guaranteed once the season commences. While his talent may know no bounds a sense of reality must be imbued upon the player.
In the past, the Vikings have not implemented fines in order to maintain a healthy relationship with players, most notably with Brett Favre, who missed most of training camp and organized team activities during his time in Minnesota. It is also a positive that Peterson told the team of his absence rather than just not showing up and points to an open line of communication between coach Zimmer and Peterson however indirect.
If Peterson still entertains the idea that he can force a trade, as reported by Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports then the team must be willing to take off the gloves and prove that he is indeed a player on their roster and subject to the same rules as the other 88 players the team currently have under contract. One thing is for certain, this summer will not see the issue resolved.
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