Adrian Peterson missed Wednesday’s practice due to a thigh bruise, but he says there’s no reason for alarm and Vikings coach Mike Zimmer says the same.
After having him in the lineup for just one game last year, the Vikings want Peterson for the games that count. He wasn’t going to play in Saturday’s preseason opener anyway.
Peterson, 30, has rarely played in the preseason in recent years, and there’s no real reason for him to play this August, either. So, pencil in the Sept. 13 opener at the 49ers as his return date.
“Maybe about two weeks (before the game), then I’ll start counting down the days,” Peterson said. “Right now, I’m just enjoying myself and making sure our preparation is where it needs to be.”
There’s no reason to rush a guy who has six seasons of more than 1,200 rushing yards.
Peterson admitted the thigh bruise he suffered Tuesday was “painful” and that’s why he stayed on the ground after taking a shot while the team’s medical staff worked on him. But he knew it was nothing more than a bruise -- and a quick scare for the Vikings as a whole.