Ben Dogra had a client in Adrian Peterson with no guaranteed money remaining on the final three years of his Vikings contract. Dogra also had a client with a horrendous image problem, based on the over-the-top discipline of a 4-year-old son that led to criminal charges.
Go back to the early offseason and there was much conversation that the Vikings would require Peterson to take a cut from the $12.75 million due to him if they chose to bring him back in 2015.
Dogra and Peterson raised enough of a ruckus about Adrian's discontent that the Vikings wound up bribing the running back to return. Coach Mike Zimmer has been given credit for inducing Peterson's return by stating he would play here or nowhere, but clearly the Vikings also offered this behind-the-scenes message to Peterson:
"Come back, participate in some of the offseason workouts, and we will negotiate guaranteed money.''
The first show of that money will come this week, with Peterson receiving a check for $2 million as a roster bonus. And, he's already guaranteed his $11 million salary for this season – none of that waiting until Week 1 stuff – and another $7 million for 2016.
And, it gets better for Peterson: If the Vikings want him for 2016, they have to write a check for $5 million by the third day of the "league season'' next spring.
Twenty million guaranteed now. Another $5 million next spring.
Dogra gathered up the chicken feathers from 2015, when Peterson played one game and was forced to sit for 15 games as his reputation was trashed on a daily basis, and turned it into Waldorf-style, $30 a pound chicken salad.
