The Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals are reportedly in the mix to acquire veteran running back Adrian Peterson, who is reportedly being shopped by the Minnesota Vikings.
The Pioneer Press reported the Vikings are still open to trading Peterson despite reiterating in previous reports that they have no plans to part ways with the former NFL Most Valuable Player.
Peterson, who still has three years left in his deal worth $43.25 million, reportedly asked the Vikings to release him from his contract, but Minnesota did not give into his request.
The Cowboys and the Cardinals are both in the race to acquire Peterson, but sources indicated they have limited time to convince the Vikings to agree to a trade. The source close to the situation said that the Vikings will keep Peterson no matter what the circumstances are if they will not receive an attractive offer next week.
Peterson admitted earlier this year that returning to the Vikings will feel uneasy for him, considering the tension between him and his team last season when he was placed on the commissioner's exempt list. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor reckless injury for disciplining his four-year-old son using a switch.
The Pioneer Press source reiterated that the Vikings are remaining mum, but they are actually trying to find the best possible deal for Peterson. The Vikings know the best time to trade Peterson is in the coming days until the 2015 NFL Draft, especially when running backs Melvin Gordon and Todd Gurley goes off the draft board.
The Cowboys have long been linked to Peterson and speculation intensified when All-Pro running back DeMarco Murray left Dallas to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles. Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones allegedly wants to bring Peterson, a Texas native, back to his home state.
The Cardinals, on the other hand, were mentioned in previous trade rumors involving Peterson. Talks about a possible deal between the Vikings and Cardinals became rampant when Larry Fitzgerald said that acquiring Peterson will be a game-changer for Arizona or any other team in the league.
"Obviously, he's an MVP-caliber player," Fitzgerald said of Peterson. "Everybody knows that. Any team he ends up with -- or if he stays with the Vikings -- is going to have a great back. If he was to come play here, it would obviously mean a tremendous amount for our ballclub."
Outside of Dallas and Arizona, the source privy to the situation also mentioned the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons and San Diego Chargers as potential landing spots for Peterson.
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