The Vikings added another voice to the chorus singing a tune about Adrian Peterson returning to the team.
Coach Mike Zimmer joined COO Kevin Warren and General Manager Rick Spielman in expressing both the desire for Peterson’s return and the expectation that it will happen. Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press reports that Zimmer is so that he’ll get his first extended chance to coach the running back that the team isn’t even going to consider alternatives when free agency opens next month.
“We’re not going to look for a running back in free agency,” Zimmer said.
The NFL says Peterson is currently not eligible for reinstatement from suspension until April 15, although that date could change based on Judge David Doty’s ruling on the grievance the NFLPA filed on Peterson’s behalf. One imagines that the Vikings would like that to happen so that there’s certainty about Peterson’s status, but the lack of it certainly isn’t stopping them from making plans for a future with their longtime offensive engine.