Adrian Peterson is ready to move on from the past few months. He said as much last week as he exited a courthouse in Texas. In a stairway convoy with his wife, parents and led by his wing-tipped attorney, the conversation turned to moving on … away from his legal issues … forward as a father … back to his career. He'll eventually get there as a professional – perhaps next week, when the NFL and players' union hash out his inevitable reinstatement. And presumably he'll go back to the Minnesota Vikings and finish out this season. But in a few months, when the offseason arrives, the inevitable should sink in. Peterson and the Vikings would be best served to move on again – specifically, in opposite directions. And it should be mutual. The Vikings should be ready to let go, and Peterson should be ready to leave. Sure, Peterson will go back to Minnesota. He can go back. He can work there again. But he can't ever truly be the Adrian Peterson that had anchored the franchise. On all fronts, it's a practical impossibility. There are too many legal cuts. Too many media bruises. Too many lingering questions about whether the fan base will ever look at him the same. And even on the football front, too much expectation and too little time for him to be the championship foundation in that franchise. Factor in what has taken place over the past two months. Do the football math. Look at the state of the franchise. The realistic conclusion is that we've reached a natural breaking point. This is the moment when Peterson can and should be traded – maybe the last moment when everyone can walk away with something. Indeed, there will be a market for Peterson this offseason. He's still seen as a player who can play at an elite level for another three years, with a solid fourth year to boot. For teams in a championship window, three years of Adrian Peterson can be the decisive raise in the Super Bowl stakes. A move that could round out the Arizona Cardinals' offense. Or sustain the New England Patriots at an elite level a few more seasons. He could bring together talented-but-broken Atlanta. He could remake Carolina or Washington, or transform Miami. [More] http://sports.yahoo.com/news/adrian...to-go-in-separation-directions-021233822.html
