Mike Zimmer, speaking at the NFL owners meetings this morning, reiterated the Vikings' stance that they expect disgruntled running back Adrian Peterson to play for them this season.
Zimmer also clarified a comment he made to Pro Football Talk earlier in the offseason, saying, "I never once said I would accommodate him" by trading Peterson if that's what he really wanted.
"I'm not going to speculate on what he wants or doesn't want," the head coach said. "Adrian's under contract for three more years with us and that's why you sign these contracts. That's why you get these big bonuses, you know?"
Peterson has three years remaining on the six-year, $96 million contract extension he signed in 2011. He has a base salary of $12.75 million this season and can make $45 million total over the final three seasons of his contract. But there is no guaranteed money beyond this season.
While it's unclear whether money or something else is his true motivation for wanting out of town, Team Peterson is trying to create leverage somehow by making his displeasure public.
As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, the Vikings have no intentions of trading Peterson at this point.
Zimmer backed that up again today by emphatically stating, "We have no plans to trade Adrian."
One more Peterson tidbit to note from the owners meetings: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that April 15 is still the relevant date when it comes to Peterson's reinstatement and that he plans to meet with Peterson sometime before then to discuss where things stand.
