Another day, another twist in the Peterson soap opera — though it's clear who is writing this script.
Yahoo Sports reports that General Manager Rick Spielman invited Adrian Peterson's agent, Ben Dogra, to dinner at the owners meetings next week. Dogra shut him down, much like what would happen if you or I were to ask Gisele Bündchen out to a romantic dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings.
Maybe Dogra has other plans. But more likely it seems that this might be another attempt for the super-agent to try to create leverage for Peterson in a situation in which the running back has none.
We know Peterson is disgruntled, but he isn't publicly saying why. It could be that he wants a new deal that gives him guaranteed money beyond 2015, something the contract he signed in 2011 will not provide him. Or maybe he really does want out, as has been speculated by national media.
But the reality is he is under contract with the Vikings through 2017, and the team still plans on keeping him around this season. That's why the reports a couple of days ago that said that Spielman told Dogra that Peterson will not be released should have been met with intense eye rolls.
Of course they aren't going to release him and give away a future Hall of Fame back for nothing.
If AP does stiff-arm his way out of town, it will be via a trade. But as I said a couple of paragraphs ago and a couple of weeks ago, the Vikings don't plan on doing that as things stand now.
So Spielman might be dining alone at the owners meetings as Team Peterson digs its heels in again.
