Vikings prefer preseason carries for Peterson

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said he would prefer Adrian Peterson take some carries in the preseason if he is going to play in the regular-season opener on Sept. 9, but Peterson remains on the PUP list, rehabilitating his surgically repaired left knee.

The Vikings aren’t holding down any hard and fast rules when it comes to Adrian Peterson’s recovery, but head coach Leslie Frazier said he would prefer Peterson to get some carries in the preseason if he is going to play in the regular-season opener Sept. 9 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“Ideally you like for him, if we’re going to try to see in the first game of the season, for him to get some work in the preseason at some point. Now, will that happen? I don’t know,” Frazier said after Peterson spent the second day of training camp practices rehabilitating his surgically repaired left knee on a side field. “We’ll see how he progresses, but ideally you’d like to see him get some carries at some point in the preseason, just for his benefit where he can gain some confidence and get a feel for where he is and where he needs to be for the first game of the season.”

Peterson had surgery Dec. 30 to repair the torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee. He starting cutting on the knee in May, but the Vikings on Friday placed him on the active/physically unable to perform list at the start of training camp.

Peterson’s Friday workout regimen included things like modified burpees and lifting and throwing medicine balls. On Saturday, he was simulating more football action under the watch of head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman.

“That’s what we’re trying to get done, just to simulate somewhat some of the things he would see in drill work, just to see how he responds,” Frazier said. “One of the keys is what happens the day after. We’ll keep monitoring and keep adding a little bit more and see how he responds and then make a decision at some point.”

Frazier said there are multiple things they want to see out of Peterson before putting him back in a practice setting, where he will have to make quicker decisions and be prepared to take contact on the knee. Peterson said he felt taking the hits of a football practice was the last step he needed to prove to himself.

“We want him to sometimes just have to react to what he sees, just like he would have to in a game. He doesn’t know if a guy is going to fall in front of him, but he has to find a way to get out of the way to protect himself,” Frazier said. “We have some things in place that we’re going to do as we continue to progress over these next few days.”

Asked if he thought Peterson was days away or weeks away from practicing, Frazier declined to get into speculative timelines.

“It’s hard to say now. He’s making good progress, but we’re going to sit down and talk about the things he did today and see what’s next tomorrow,” Frazier said. “I don’t want to say now that it’s days away or weeks away.”

NOTES

Receiver Stephen Burton is classified as “day to day,” according to Frazier, with a jammed toe on his left foot that happened before training camp. He remains on the active/non-football injury list.

The other player who started camp on that list, tight end Mickey Shuler, passed his physical and practiced in full Saturday.

Cornerback Josh Robinson will be monitored “day to day” after injuring his hamstring in Friday’s practice. “He didn’t tear it, he tweaked it,” Frazier said.

Cornerback Nick Taylor suffered a shoulder injury in Friday’s practice and didn’t practice Saturday. He will get tests on the shoulder and will be held out until the results of his tests come back.

Receiver Jerome Simpson banged knees with another player during seven-on-seven work and clutched his left knee while sitting on the field after the play. “Anytime someone grabs his knee in our profession, you hate to see that. Glad to see him get back up and finish practice. That was a good sign,” Frazier said.

The Vikings have Sunday off – Frazier said he couldn’t legislate players to stay in Mankato or a curfew for their return, according to the collective bargaining agreement – but Monday is the first full-pads practice of camp.

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