Rick Spielman doesn't see Adrian Peterson playing in any jersey other than purple.
The Minnesota Vikings general manager told reporters in Indianapolis Wednesday morning that he expects the running back to remain with the franchise after he comes off suspension.
"We expect Adrian Peterson to be part of our football team," Spielman said, per the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
The NFL suspended Peterson on Nov. 18 stemming from a no contest plea on what the league called "an incident of abusive discipline" toward his 4-year-old son. Peterson is scheduled to be reinstated April 15. The NFL Players Association filed a suit intent on getting Peterson back in the league sooner.
Spielman is confident that the year off will not affect the NFL's best running back.
"I expect when Adrian Peterson comes back that he's gonna come back with a point to prove to everybody," he told reporters during his combine media session.
Spielman declined to discuss Peterson's contract situation, but said he believes the running back will be reinstated in April.
"We're assuming he's taken all those steps to require to get him back on the field but we can't have communication with him," he said.
Despite Spielman's optimism, Peterson's future in Minnesota remains in doubt. Whether the superstar running back even wants to return to the Vikings will play a big role in how his future unfolds.
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