Agent Ben Dogra has taken a hard stance against the Minnesota Vikings for client Adrian Peterson. Minnesota doesn't appear it's ready to blink.
Speaking at the annual owners meetings in Arizona on Wednesday, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer reiterated the team has no desire to trade Peterson, who is the team's all-time leading rusher.
"We have no plans to trade Adrian, no," Zimmer told reporters at the NFC coaches breakfast.
Dogra has pushed Minnesota to try and trade or release the running back, telling the Associated Press on Tuesday that it's not in Peterson's "best interest" to return to the Vikings. Peterson missed all but one game last season and was suspended by commissioner Roger Goodell following charges of injuring his 4-year-old son while disciplining the boy with a tree branch.
Dogra announced last week he was told by the team it would not release Peterson and later he declined a meeting with Minnesota general manager Rick Spielman.
But if Dogra is trying to force Peterson's way out, the Vikings aren't budging.
"I'm not going to speculate what he wants or doesn't want, but Adrian's under contract for three more years with us and that's why you sign these contracts -- the way you get big bonuses, you know," Zimmer said Wednesday.
Zimmer joined Spielman three weeks ago on a trip to meet with Peterson privately at his Houston-area home. Zimmer has expressed his support for Peterson all along, and is moving forward with the plan of Peterson being in the Minnesota backfield when the season begins.
"I love the kid," Zimmer said. "He's been great with everything with me. We fully expect him to be here. It's no different. I think that he's done some unbelievable things in our community and in the state. We'll support him until he gets back. All of his teammates are excited to get him back, the coaches, the organization and the fans. So, should be all systems go."
Peterson is still under contract with the Vikings, who could force him to return or sit out. Peterson has three years remaining on the contract he signed in 2011 that made him the league's highest-paid running back. He is due to make $13 million in 2015 in base salary and a workout bonus, and would count $15.4 million against Minnesota's salary cap.
Zimmer said he expects Peterson to honor his current contract.
Meanwhile, Peterson and the NFL Players Association continue their legal battle against the NFL. Peterson is currently on the commissioner's exempt list and Goodell told reporters Wednesday he still views April 15 as the deadline for Peterson's possible activation.
Peterson was suspended by Goodell in November after pleading no contest to the child abuse charges. April 15 is the date Goodell announced as the first possible day Peterson could be reinstated. Peterson was placed back on the commissioner's exempt list after U.S. District Court Judge David Doty ruled Peterson was disciplined under the new personal conduct policy for an incident that occurred under the old policy. The NFL appealed Doty's ruling with the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, a judgment that could linger into the summer.
Zimmer still believes Peterson, who turned 30 years old on March 21, can be an effective back and a vital piece to the Vikings' offense.
"He looked great when I saw him," Zimmer said. "He's an unbelievable athlete. You know, they say 30-year-old running back, but I think he's way different than that . . . I think he breaks all the standards.
We're going to continue to get better in the offensive line. We're going to continue to get more speed on the field, open some things up for him, and our young quarterback is going to continue to improve. I think all those things add value to the running back. He adds to the value of everyone else. So, that's the plan."
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