Adrian Peterson has long been the face of the Minnesota Vikings, but he will likely be playing the 2017 NFL season elsewhere.
While there is an outside shot that Adrian Peterson returns to the Minnesota Vikings for the 2017 NFL season, it certainly will not be for $18 million. The Vikings declined to pick up Peterson’s option for 2017, making him an unrestricted free agent. Peterson has been the face of the franchise since his rookie season in 2007, and it looks like his time with the organization has finally come to an end.
Another big star who will not be back with his team from 2016 is Darrelle Revis, who was notified of his impending release on Tuesday. Revis has a lot on his plate as he enters free agency, as he was recently arraigned on five criminal charges. The Jets also said goodbye to star center Nick Mangold this week, as the organization finally looks to go into a much-needed rebuilding phase. The move cleared $9 million in cap space for the Jets.
One player who will be returning to his current team is Kirk Cousins, who once again was given the franchise tag on Tuesday. Cousins’ tag is exclusive, which means no other team can negotiate a deal with him. If a long-term deal is not agreed upon by July 15, Cousins will play the 2017 NFL season with a guaranteed contract of $23.94 million. Cousins is a good, young quarterback, and the Redskins will be wise to sign him before he joins Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco.
The Kansas City Chiefs made two huge moves on Tuesday, both including two of their biggest stars. Jamaal Charles, who has been one of the better running backs in the league during his time with the Chiefs, was released by the team. On the other side of the coin, star safety Eric Berry was given a contract of six-years/$78 million, making him the highest paid safety in the history of the NFL.
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Finally, some news from the current World Champs. The New England Patriots will not place a franchise tag on star linebacker Dont’a Hightower, making him an unrestricted free agent. If Hightower does leave New England, he will be the second star linebacker to change teams since the beginning of last season. Jamie Collins was traded to the Cleveland Browns during the regular season, though it really did not seem to disrupt what he Pats like to do on defense.