Vikings owner: Deciding on Peterson's return will require 'tough analysis'

The Minnesota Vikings have some soul searching to do before deciding on whether to welcome back Adrian Peterson, the greatest running back in franchise history.

Peterson, who missed most of the 2016 season with a knee injury, is under contract for $18 million in 2017, but is not expected to return to the Vikings at that salary. Perhaps he will be back on a reworked contract, but it may be more likely he's released.

Whatever the decision is, Vikings co-owner Mark Wilf said it will be left to general manager Rick Spielman. And it won't be made without some deep thought.

"Adrian is such an important part of our organization, and he's a great player and still a great player, so we'll see how the business stuff works out," Wilf said, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. "But he's going to have a purple jacket, a gold (Hall of Fame) jacket (whenever he retires) and all the accolades he deserves. He's one of the greatest Vikings of all time and certainly one of the greatest players of all time. It's a tough analysis we're going to have to go through here."

The Vikings have a deadline for a decision: March 9, the start of the NFL's new league year.

Peterson has maintained that he wants to return to the Vikings, but has also mentioned the New York Giants, Houston Texans, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers as teams he would consider playing for if released.