With the draft just a week away, the time to move Adrian Peterson is now.  The Vikings have made it known that they want a deal done by the draft.  Why?  Well, because if a deal happens, they’ll most likely get a first round pick, and they’ll want to know who they’re taking with that pick.

The Vikings have also made it known what they want for Peterson.

“The Vikings want a starting cornerback in addition to a first round pick”- Adam Caplan

With this known, let’s make trades.  I’ve came up with four in my head, based on the Vikings parameters and how Peterson would fit with that team.  While my trades don’t match exactly what Minnesota wants, they come pretty close.

Number One:

Cowboys get: Adrian Peterson

Vikings get:  Morris Claiborne, Cowboys 2015 1st round pick (No.27)

The Cowboys have been rumored to be interested in Peterson since the early part of last season.  There’s been tampering rumors and all due to an alleged phone call between Peterson and Jerry Jones.  They’re seen as the frontrunners for him, which makes sense given the history.  Minnesota might accept this deal.  Morris Claiborne has more than starting capabilites.  However, he hasn’t lived up to the huge expectations he had coming out of college.  It might shy the Vikings away given that Dallas might be ready to move on, given he hasn’t totally worked out.  Though, Minnesota sees cornerback as their biggest need, and it’s what they want out of this deal.

Dallas, if this deal weren’t to happen, would have to draft a running back at No.27.  I’ve covered it, and am pretty sure they would take Melvin Gordon.  Trading Claiborne would leave them with a hole in the secondary, but they could use later draft picks to re-fill it.  Honestly, if this offer was really on the table, I believe the Cowboys would do it in a heartbeat.  It’s really a matter of whether how much more Minnesota would want from Dallas.

Number Two:

Cardinals get: Adrian Peterson

Vikings get: Patrick Peterson

So, I’m kinda abandoning Minnesota’s price on Peterson here.  If Arizona really does want AP, this is what it would take.  A Peterson-for-Peterson swap.  Straight up.  If I’m Steve Kiem, I can’t give up anything more than Patrick.  He’s one of the best cornerbacks in the game.  Even after coming off the down year, Peterson would flourish next season, and I’m expecting him to.  No matter what team he’s on, PP will preform, and man, would the Vikings be happy about that.

Minnesota would have to be okay with this deal.  It’s straight up and nothing else.  Arizona won’t be able to hand the Vikings any other piece.  It would be too much.  The Cardinals have been interested in AP for the last month or so.  Larry Fitzgerald has chimed in on it, saying it would make them contenders.  I agree, and as a Cardinals fan, I’d be pretty stoked about possibly having Peterson.  It would also make me the most hated kid in school as I live in the Twin Cities, and having the star player traded to my team probably wouldn’t be a fun thing for me to handle.

Arizona could definitely use AP.  Andre Ellington is very good, but has limitations and misses about five games a year.  AP is durable and would surely preform.  Again, Minnesota would have to be okay with what Arizona was proposing, because the Cardinals can’t give up anything else in a deal like this.

Number Three:

Giants get:  Adrian Peterson

Vikings get: Prince Amukamara, 2015 1st round pick (No.9)

This is the more likely offer the Vikings would except.  This is also the type of offer Minnesota is looking for.  Prince Amukamara is a great corner who’s still young at 25.  While he’s still a tad raw in certain aspects, he would be a huge upgrade for the Vikings secondary.  The pick would be very important in this deal, as the Giants are forced to give up taking Randy Gregory or someone like him.  Again, this is the god-father like offer Minnesota is looking for, and if they want a deal done, they’ll probably have to compromise.

The god-father offer is something New York could be willing to pay.  While they did sign Shane Vereen over the offseason, he’s not an every down back.  He’s very good, and can catch passes out of the backfield, but with him and Rashad Jennings lined up behind Eli Manning, the whole thing could get frisky.  Adding Peterson would give the Giants a reliable running back who could get by with a bad offensive line like New York’s.  Adding AP would also, in my opinion, make the Giants the favorite in that division.  It’s an interesting thing to ponder, and New York is a team no one is talking about in the running for AP.  Watch out, they could be sneaky.

Number Four:

Dolphins get:  Adrian Peterson 

Vikings get: Brett Grimes, 2015 1st round pick (No.14), 2016 3rd round pick

Again, another team that no one is talking about in the running for AP.  Miami currently has Lamar Miller as their starting running back, who’s been pretty frisky.  He had bright spots last year, but showed nothing that gives me any hope.  Adding Peterson would completely change expectations, and give the Dolphins a third big offseason acquisition (Ndamukong Suh, Jordan Cameron).  Coming into Miami, Peterson would take a lot of pressure off of Ryan Tannehill, forcing him to not throw as much.

The Vikings would have to ask for more than their original price with this deal.  I have them getting Brett Grimes, who is a solid starting corner, but is nothing special.  I really believe, that with Grimes and the Dolphins’ first round pick, Minnesota wouldn’t except it.  That would force Miami to send them next year’s 3rd, which seems high, but then again, if Miami wants to do this, they’ll have to give up whatever Minnesota asks.  Giving up two picks and a starting corner for AP is a package that might cause Miami to pull out.  The Dolphins could do this with a total win-now mentality, and while those end up falling apart pretty quickly, Miami’s would work, this season at least.

Have a good weekend!!!!  Enjoy the playoff games!!!!