EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Adrian Peterson, wearing his familiar purple No. 28, came off the field during the Minnesota Vikings organized team activities and No. 31 entered with the first-team offense still going through drills.
Jerick McKinnon took a handoff and sprinted through the line, breaking free down the middle of the field. The speed flashed and, for a moment, reminded onlookers that Peterson isn't the only running back on Minnesota's roster.
McKinnon, in his second season and coming off back surgery, knows Peterson's return ultimately diminishes his opportunities but is genuinely excited about teaming up with the former Pro Bowl running back.
"Opportunity to learn from the best running back in the game," McKinnon said. "That's how I attack it; just taking his knowledge and moving forward with it. Bettering myself, coming out here to work every day, getting better from the small things to the big things. That's a credit to all the running backs pushing each other and stuff like that."
Lost in the enormous shadow of Peterson's return to the Vikings are McKinnon, Matt Asiata and the other running backs. For a time last season, McKinnon was the big-play threat in Minnesota's backfield.
Now, McKinnon works and waits for his chances behind Peterson.
"We got a lot of guys I think are going to be able to contribute," offensive coordinator Norv Turner said. "Certain guys are going to get to contribute more than others and I would assume that Adrian would be that guy who would get to contribute more than others. But if you're going to be a really good offensive football team, you've got to use all the guys you have."
A 2014 third-round draft pick from Georgia Southern, McKinnon's rookie season was going to be more developmental than impactful as Minnesota had Peterson and Asiata ahead of him. Instead, Peterson played only one game as he dealt with his legal situation. Asiata started in Peterson's absence and McKinnon was slowly brought along.
Then McKinnon broke through for a 55-yard run against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 4. He finished with 18 carries for 135 yards. Two weeks later, he was starting against the Detroit Lions. In eight games beginning with Week 4 against Atlanta, McKinnon had 108 carries for 531 yards, a 4.92-yard average. He added 23 receptions for 121 yards before suffering a back injury.
Fully healthy, McKinnon doesn't think of being short-changed by Peterson's return. He wants to learn from Peterson.
"Last year, got a lot of playing time more earlier than I expected it," McKinnon said. "From my standpoint, knowledge is key at this level. The physical aspect and all that is going to take care of itself. The greatest athletes are in the NFL, so for me it's just to keep learning, keep growing and when that time comes, be ready."
McKinnon missed the final five games. Following surgery, he stayed behind in Minnesota and rehabilitated. Once he was cleared, he joined tight end Kyle Rudolph and teammates for workouts in California.
"He mentioned to me that when we got back here in April, that's the best that he's ever felt, coming off the back surgery," Rudolph said. "I think it's really shown in our first six days out here on the field. His different gear that he has, when he catches the ball in space he's a pretty special player, as he showed last year before the back injury."
McKinnon can notice a difference from the workouts and shows no signs of being slowed by the injury.
"Sometimes I come in early to lift and sometimes we have leg days and my legs feel a little heavy," McKinnon said. "But then I go back and see and I'm still moving pretty good. So that's a good sign. I'm feeling fast, feeling good, moving good, I can't complain."
Turner, who has Peterson and McKinnon at his disposal, sees the quickness back in McKinnon.
"Jerick really looks faster than a year ago because he's really confident in what he's doing," Turner said. "He's 100 percent healthy and he's flying around. He really gives you a nice dimension, a little changeup."
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