Vikings' post-CBA plan: Rework Peterson contract

INDIANAPOLIS - Vikings vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman acknowledged Thursday that Pro Bowl running back Adrian Peterson's contract is "going to have to get addressed," once a new collective bargaining agreement is in place.

Peterson wants a contract extension. He is due to make an eye-popping $10.720 million base salary in 2011, the final season of his rookie contract. Peterson is technically signed for 2012 but that year of the deal will void.

The NFL did not have a salary cap in 2010, but if one returns Peterson's cap figure would be $12.775 million for this coming season, and the Vikings would like to restructure that.

Spielman did not say if team officials would be meeting with Peterson's agent, Ben Dogra, at the NFL scouting combine, which runs through Tuesday.

"We'll continue to look at that, and Adrian is a vital key of our football team and ... the face of the organization," Spielman said. "So, we'll address [his contract] when the time is right."

Great expectations With defensive ends Ray Edwards and Brian Robison potentially set to become free agents, Everson Griffen would be a logical candidate to battle for significant playing time at left end.

Griffen, however, hasn't had the best offseason. The Vikings' fourth-round pick last April, Griffen was arrested twice this month in Los Angeles and attempted to organize a Super Bowl party in Las Vegas that Southern Cal officials would not let their players attend.

Man in the middle Spielman said the Vikings "need to continue to add youth and depth to our offensive line," but he remains confident in the unit. That includes center John Sullivan, who struggled at times in his second season as the starter.

"I think we still have some very good young guys," he said. "[I'm] excited about Sullivan. He had to go through a lot of durability issues with both calves and the appendectomy before training camp, the death of his father -- he had a really, really rough year last year. We were very excited about what we saw in '09, so we're expecting John to come back and be [stronger], because he is a young player."

A chance to chat The Vikings will use their allotment of 60 player interviews at the combine, starting the process Friday and going until Monday night. Interviews are 15 minutes apiece.

Spielman and his staff will get their first chance to talk to the junior quarterbacks. That list includes Auburn's Cam Newton, Arkansas' Ryan Mallett and Missouri's Blaine Gabbert. The Vikings already spent time with the seniors at the Senior Bowl.

"I feel pretty strong about this [quarterback] class, about the depth of this class, not only through the first rounds, but I think through the second, third round, too," Spielman said.