Tom Pelissero of USA Today reports that Vikings RB Adrian Peterson has not been involved in any negotiations regarding a plea deal for his pending court case that stems from him beating his child with a switch during the summer.
According to Pelissero, Peterson will plead not guilty and is hopeful that the court will clear his name in this case.
Peterson’s lawyer, Rusty Hardin, is expected to try and expedite the process, but Montgomery County prosecutors have said that it could take 9-12 months to get this case underway. Based on this timeline, it obviously could cost Peterson the entire 2014 season and possibly spill over into 2015.
- Pelissero mentions that the Vikings have not ruled out Peterson returning to the team at some point.
- Pelissero adds that he has spoken to sources that believe there would be interest in Peterson if Minnesota were to field trade offers for him.
There has been speculation that Peterson’s time with the Vikings is likely over given the current situation he’s in and the fact that he stands to make $12.75 million for the 2015 season.
The NFL could still hand down severe punishment of their own in this case, so there are plenty of variables that need to be worked out before we have a solid idea of Peterson’s NFL future.
Peterson, 29, is entering the fifth year of his seven-year, $96 million contract that includes $36 million guaranteed. He has base salaries of $12.75 million (2015), $14.75 million (2016) and $15.75 million (2017) coming his way over the remainder of the deal.
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