FanPost

Time to face facts and trade Adrian Peterson.


I have stated this before, and never found much support. And I am not posting this expecting to receive much (if any) agreement this time around. This is the time to shop #28 around to other teams.

The cold, hard facts are what have me more convinced than ever this is the decision in the best interests of everyone involved... even the fans who just want to be able to buy replica jerseys with Adrian's name across the back. Sure, they love seeing him play his heart out and occasionally break off a memorable run. But they must realize how short-sighted that all has become. Here are the facts as I see them, as we finish up the first week following the CBA agreement (in terms).

1. The Vikings are not going to be winning the Super Bowl in early 2012. They are highly unlikely to compete for a playoff spot this season, barring some incredible string of events. It seems to me they are not going to compete for a Super Bowl any time soon, and I cannot imagine any scenario under which they MIGHT be viable championship contenders for the next 3-4 years. Their division is much stronger now, and their own roster is a lot less formidable than it was a couple of years ago.

2. The Offensive Line is clearly in decline and not as talented as it needs to be. I feel McKinnie is a weak spot, and Hutch is getting older and banged up. I feel Loadholt has disappointed and may not be the player he appeared to be capable of becoming. The Center position is manned by mediocre players at best, and the RG position is shaky. How many times (and I saw almost every game last year) have we seen Peterson run into the backs of his O-Lineman? He is sometimes at fault, but often, I think he expects a little more forward push that never comes. His frustration level is only going to increase this year, and with no true vertical passing threat, teams will stack the box and wear down Peterson and the other RBs. Injuries are likelier, too, when everyone loads up against a running game and tries to take the only real threat out of the contest.

3. Peterson's trade value is at its peak. He is still young and his best year could be ahead of him. But the window closes fast on running backs who shoulder the load like he does. Now is the last time to get fair value in return by trading him to a contender who would pay for that missing component to the Title.

4. His contract is coming to an end and he will demand enormous money to sign a new deal. This franchise simply is not in the position to afford a superstar like Peterson for any longer. Trading him would bring (ideally) a decent RB and draft picks plus another player or two.

Summarizing:

Let's be real here. Other than drawing fans to the games to see Adrian Peterson play (unfortunately, while getting frustrated and/or injured), what sense is there in keeping someone of his talents in the middle of a no-win situation? The team is clearly an also-ran now. We are rebuilding, no matter what the PR department says. Ponder could take 2-4 years to be really NFL-ready and productive. He may even be a bust. We have no idea, but the average is 3-5 years for a drafted QB to be worth much. Peterson will have a lot less tread on his tires in another 2-3 years. So, he will likely be in decline by the time the Vikings are even sniffing at another Division title - at best. This is a roster in need of serious help at a number of key positions - that means we need a lot of fresh, young faces to revamp and retool. Do I need to outline some of those areas of concern? (OL-DB-WR-LB-QB) Better to trade Peterson now, while healthy and productive. At this point, we cannot afford to tie him up and he will bring the most in return. If we wait, sign him and then are cash-strapped, we will not be able to field as competitive a team as we need to.

Would I prefer to keep Peterson? OF COURSE. He is probably the most talented Viking player of this generation. But I am being real. The prudent, intelligent move is to shop him actively, get the most we can get in return - and set about the obvious task of rebuilding this roster. I restate - the Vikings are not a playoff-ready team in 2011-12. And they look to be a team that cannot compete for any Super Bowl run for the foreseeable future. (Don't forget how much older and ineffective much of the roster will be in 2012!) By trading Peterson now, we can retool faster and have better balance on the payroll. What if he suffered a major injury this season? Now is the time to parlay his desirability into something tangible - for his sake and the sake of the franchise.

This FanPost was created by a registered user of The Daily Norseman, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the staff of the site. However, since this is a community, that view is no less important.