The Vikings waited a long time to get running back Adrian Peterson back in their lineup, so the prospect of losing him to injury isn’t one they’d like to entertain.
It’s one they had to at least consider on Tuesday. Peterson limped off the field after being stopped on a running play during the team’s practice and then headed back to the locker room with the medical staff after returning to the field for one play. It’s being called a thigh injury that Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune and Peterson’s backup Jerick McKinnon report is not expected to be a major problem.
“He got tangled up,” McKinnon said. “A defender fell on him, but he said he was all right. Everybody knows Adrian’s got a cape on. He’ll be back out here. I don’t think anybody’s worried about him.”
It’s not clear when Peterson will return to work, but that won’t impact his availability for Saturday’s preseason tilt with the Buccaneers. Peterson isn’t expected to play in the preseason at all, something that’s been the case for several years and Tuesday’s thigh scare is a reminder of why the Vikings would rather not risk having Peterson play in games that don’t count in the standings.