Peterson has been chasing guaranteed money for a while now.
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Minnesota Vikings managing back Adrian Peterson was greeted by dozens of supporters as he returned to his Texas hometown for the ninth once-a-year “Adrian Peterson Working day” after a time in which he did not perform.
Peterson also released a statement through the team.
Before spending anything on Peterson in 2016, the Vikings get to see what he can do with a massive chip on his shoulder as the NFL’s highest-paid running back with performance incentives dangling in front of him, all at the cost of a sizeable injury guarantee.
Peterson’s name was linked to trade rumors throughout the offseason, even as Vikings officials said they wanted him to remain with the team.
The Minnesota Vikings and the face of the franchise, Adrian Peterson, have “mutually agreed” to restructure the rest of Peterson’s contract, which continues over the next three years. Peterson’s $12.75 million base salary would have been guaranteed after a preseason where the Vikings don’t plan to put him on the field.
Throughout his seven-month exile, Peterson and his agent, Ben Dogra, waged an aggressive and public campaign for more financial security from the Vikings. The relationship between the Vikings and Peterson soured last season after the team “expedited” his placement on the Commissioner’s Exempt List in the wake of Peterson’s child abuse scandal. If the roster bonus deescalates by $2 million, Peterson can earn back $1 million as an incentive payment if he rushes for at least 1,350 yards and the Vikings qualify for the playoffs in 2016.
That also is a matter for another day. After the legal issues were resolved, it was unclear if the running back would return to the Vikings.
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Peterson, who turned 30 in March, can let himself loose without worrying about getting hurt. His struggle for guaranteed cash reached its peak back in May, when he embarked upon a lengthy Twitter rant about the nature of National Football League contracts. “They know what form of heart I have since they have been around me my overall life”.
