The Vikings announced early Wednesday morning they have placed running back Adrian Peterson on the exempt/commissioner’s permission list, which will keep him away from the team while the legal process involving his child abuse case plays out.Matt Vensel, Star Tribune
The decision was rendered after a flurry of statements — some literal and others figurative — from sponsors of Peterson, the Vikings and the NFL expressing disappointment that the Vikings had reinstated the running back Monday morning.
Money, (Money!) I want money (Money!)
Baby, ain't no "why", baby (Money!)
I need money!
First I look at the purse!
-- The Contours
Peterson was back at Winter Park on Tuesday, an off day for players, and was reportedly tailed by a TMZ cameraman as he departed the facility. Also Tuesday, Nike pulled Peterson jerseys off the shelves at its area stories, sponsors distanced themselves from Peterson and Anheuser Busch publicly called for the NFL to get its house in order.-- Vensel
We think we know what we're doin'
That don't mean a thing
It's all in the past now
Money changes everything
-- Tom Gray (and Cyndi Lauper)
In the long term, it is fair to wonder if this will be Peterson’s final season with the Vikings.-- Vensel
The six-time Pro Bowler is under contract through 2017, but the salary-cap ramifications of cutting him now would not be debilitating. The Vikings would actually save $12 million on this year’s salary cap and $2.4 million in dead money would carry over to next year’s cap.
If they decided to release Peterson, who is scheduled to make $13 million in salary and workout bonuses in 2015, after the season, they would have no future cap penalties beyond 2015.
Sonny it's money that matters, hear what I say
It's money that matters in the USA
It's money that matters
Now you know that it's true
It's money that matters whatever you do
-- Randy Newman
10 comments:
While I think whether Peterson stays or goes depends greatly on the outcome of his pending legal situation, I believe the odds are actually slightly greater that he stays than they might have been before this.
Why? The Vikings have another option other than cutting him - restructuring his contract. Had the Vikings approached Peterson this next off-season, minus his "whooping", he likely would have balked at the idea of taking a pay cut, knowing full well plenty of teams would still want his services. Peterson's total value has taken such a hit, that while he'd certainly find work if the Vikings cut him, I doubt he'd find as lucrative a contract elsewhere as he would here.
The real question is whether the Vikings want the headache of keeping Peterson on the team at all. I would assume that Peterson will plea bargain, and that since he has no priors, will get community service and a hefty fine. I don't see him doing time and I doubt this goes to trial, dragging out what's left of Peterson's reputation through 2015.
Running-backs over the age of 30 have historically fallen apart quickly. No matter where he ends up, Peterson's real and (more importantly) perceived value is far, far, far less than it was just a week ago. Whether he realizes that or not may depend on whether he's wearing purple next year.
the NFL is overreacting to very manageable problem that they created themselves... now its just making them look foolish, stupid, and pandering.
i suggest goodell has an active role in this petersen thing, its not just the vikings trying to 'get it right'.
Does anybody else find this whole affair ridiculous? OK, he gave his kid a "whuppin" just as he got as a kid (which doesn't make it right, but) and the pictures of the injuries certainly don't fit the image I have of child abuse. It was a one-time thing, for a pretty serious offense by the kid. Yes, the legal system should run its course and, if he goes to jail and can't fill out his contract, that ends the matter. But to preemptively fine him millions of dollars for a small excess of discipline on a kid who deserved some discipline? Really?
How about SOME remote semblance of a sense of proportion here?
It was a one-time thing, for a pretty serious offense by the kid.
The kid is 4. From what I've read, he pushed a sibling away from a video game. Seems a bit much to me. Your mileage may vary.
i suggest goodell has an active role in this petersen thing, its not just the vikings trying to 'get it right'.
I'm pretty sure you're right, Gino.
I don't see him doing time and I doubt this goes to trial, dragging out what's left of Peterson's reputation through 2015.
I think that's right, too. Whether he returns depends on how radioactive he's become in this market. When Minnesotans turn on their heroes, they turn pretty hard.
If I had a guess, Adrian Peterson will be a Dallas Cowboy next year.
Well, let's remember - he's not being fined by anyone right now. He's getting paid something close to $691,000 per week to stay away from the team.
He's getting paid something close to $691,000 per week to stay away from the team.
I'd stay away from the Vikings for 1/10th of that total.
Mr D: Cowboys have a solid RB, but he's a fit for Jets or Raiders.
I believe there was a second charge as well from another time or am I not correct on that? I do think it is good to wait to see what turns up in court.
Re: Goodell, I will be interested to see how the NFLPA response against Ray Rice being penalized a 2nd time works out. They are saying the NFL had all of the information before they punished Rice the first time. So it will get to answering the question, "Who knew about the 2nd elevator tape and when did they know it?"
Gino said...
Mr D: Cowboys have a solid RB, but he's a fit for Jets or Raiders.
I know the Cowboys have Murray, but Jerry Jones was talking about how much he'd like to have Peterson earlier in the year, enough that some around here were wondering if it were a tampering case.
Definitely wait for what comes up in court, but in my view, the reality is that no matter what the child did, the point of physical discipline is to inflict enough pain to convey the message "what you did is wrong and will be punished", but not to injure the child.
The pictures I've seen suggest injury, which means, no matter what the law says, AP was out of line. Just like he is by having six children out of wedlock, some of whom he never met. He's not a role model, to put it mildly.
But that said, for whatever reason it appears that NFL players are actually less likely to be arrested than the rest of the population, which is saying something given the demographics--strongly minority and very often grew up poor and/or without a father. I don't know if that's because they're less likely to offend, or because they're famous and have good lawyers, but it's worth noting.
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