The Twins and Vikings have taken their identities from two superstars over the past decade in MVPs Joe Mauer and Adrian Peterson. But both franchises are reaching similar points with their former cornerstone players, facing questions about their value to the teams and the cost of their contracts.
For the Vikings, Peterson's return to the team is up in the air despite the fact that everyone from team management to head coach Mike Zimmer to returning players have said that Peterson still has value to this football team.
Peterson is due $18 million for the 2017 season, and there's simply no way the Vikings can afford to pay that to a running back who has averaged 544 yards and 6.7 games played over the past three seasons. Of course, one of those seasons was Peterson's return to form when he led the NFL with 1,485 yards and played 16 games in 2015. That's the issue the Vikings have, because if any running back could return to that form at 32 years old, Peterson is the one.
Odds and finances
But the odds are not in his favor. Only six running backs have rushed for 1,000-plus yards as a 32-year-old — Walter Payton (1,333 in 1986), Ricky Williams (1,121 in 2009), Ottis Anderson (1,023 in 1989), Emmitt Smith (1,021 in 2001), Mike Anderson (1,014 in 2005) and James Brooks (1,004 in 1990).
The other big issue is that, besides Peterson, no running back is scheduled to make more than $8.9 million next season.
This is why the Vikings and Peterson are negotiating, and why every team in the NFL has been rumored to want Peterson, for the right price, if he becomes a free agent. If Peterson is healthy there's a decent chance he's one of the best running backs in the NFL, no matter how poorly he performed in 2016.
But if Peterson performs to his previous three-year averages, 544 yards and around six or seven games, that's worth next to nothing for most franchises.
For the Vikings, though, it may be about more than historical averages and Peterson's contract. There has to be an incentive to both parties to want him to finish his career with the Vikings.