Vikings Notebook: Adrian Peterson eyes opening day despite sitting out preseason

Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson met with coach Leslie Frazier on Monday and was told he would not be playing in the remaining preseason games. Peterson said the meeting went well, and that he was on the same page as the coaches, but it hasn’t really changed his mindset for opening day on Sept. 9.

“I don’t think it has anything to do with it,” Peterson said about the decision. “The way I was looking at it, either way if I was to play or not, my goal still stays the same and that’s to continue to progress and be ready for week one. That’s the goal, and I going to do everything I can to reach it.”

Frazier said that Peterson used the word “patience” in their meeting and he was impressed that Peterson was finally showing some.

“I’ve been preaching to myself, repeating it, trying to brainwash myself -- 'patience, patience,’ because the past couple weeks I really haven’t been hearing the things I wanted to hear,” said Peterson. “I have to be patient -- I understand it -- but the goal does not change.”

Go time for Gerhart?

Following the news of RB Adrian Peterson not playing in preseason, one might expect more carries for RB Toby Gerhart. But since he will likely be counted on to be the featured running back in the first part of the season, it will actually mean less carries for Gerhart in the preseason, according to Frazier.

“We’re not going to do a whole lot more with Toby than we’ve done in these first two preseason games, not going to feel like we need to ramp up his carries,” said Frazier. “I don’t think that’s necessary. We’re going to give him some snaps and let him continue to get a feel for game situations but we’re not going to overload him with carries. We’re going to need him in a big way against Jacksonville and we’ll limit the number of touches he’ll have in this ball game on Friday night.”

Walsh's kickoffs lacking

K Blair Walsh had another good game in field goal kicking (5 of 6) against the Bills on Friday, but his kickoffs left something to be desired.

He kicked one kickoff through the uprights, which the Metrodome crowd enjoyed, but the Bills returned 5 of 9 kickoffs for an average of 20.2 return yards. ST coach Mike Priefer said even though it might have appeared the team was trying some alternative kickoffs -- even a squib -- they weren’t by design.

“We were trying to kick it out of the end zone,” said Priefer. “Sometimes (Blair’s) going to miss-hit them a little bit. That was too many miss-hits the other day, and he knows that. He will be more consistent, obviously, he has a big time leg and I’m excited about him in that regard.”

Rudolph is a quick healer

TE Kyle Rudolph left last Friday’s preseason game against the Bills with concussion-like symptoms. Three days later, he was cleared and back on the practice field. Coach Frazier was asked it was indeed a concussion.

“Yeah, his was a little bit different,” said Frazier. “In just talking with our medical staff and even talking with him, he doesn’t think he had a concussion. He thought it was more with his eardrum. We still had to go through concussion protocol and that’s what they took him through.”

Injury news

Viking players who are injured and may not play Friday night: RG Geoff Schwartz (sports hernia), WR Kamar Jorden (hand), TE Jeff Carlson (knee), LB Solomon Elimimian (hamstring) and CB Chris Cook (concussion).

Cook has not passed all of the concussion protocol, but coach Frazier hopes that will happen soon, so he can get Cook on the practice field on Wednesday. Even if he does clear the tests and practices, Frazier is doubtful that he would play him on Friday.

And if Cook won’t play, CB Chris Carr and CB Josh Robinson would likely take the first-string plays, according to Frazier.

OL Bridger Buche was not at the afternoon practice, but the reason was not disclosed.