Vikings discussing whether to let Adrian Peterson play pending league action

We could be seeing the wheels in motion for Adrian Peterson returning to active duty in the NFL. The questions we currently have: When will Peterson be active? And will the Minnesota Vikings want him back?

With Peterson entering into a plea agreement in Texas for his child-abuse case, thus avoiding jail time, the matter new rests in the hands of the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell. At this point, only Goodell can reinstate Peterson from the commissioner’s exempt list, which he was placed on — with pay — after Peterson was charged a count of child injury.

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According to the Star Tribune, the Vikings are discussing internally whether to bring Peterson back and let him play this season.

But they can't make a decision on that until the NFL makes a decision on Peterson first. Goodell has met this week with Ray Rice, the league's other black-eye abuse case, and likely will want to do the same with Peterson before any decision is made.

The third wheel in this situation: the NFLPA. Will the players union feel the need to step in and pressure the league for an expedious process for Peterson? Some of the anti-Peterson fervor has died down, but the union still would be putting itself in the position of defending a player who has admitted to harming his child.

As for the Vikings, they clearly have not made any decisions on the short- or long-term status of the second-leading rusher in franchise history. They built the team this offseason with the idea that Peterson, who has three more years left on his deal after this season, would be a member of the team.

But a lot has changed the past few months. We could see Peterson back on the field, but right now we have no indication that the NFL is in a hurry to rule on his status.

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm

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