Zimmer on Adrian Peterson's return: 'There's a lot of things to consider'

Adrian Peterson said Monday that he is targeting a Week 16 return. But Mike Zimmer said the decision is not completely up to Peterson.

“It’s a combination when we sit down and talk with the medical people,” the coach said this morning. “It’s a lot to do with the medical.”

Zimmer said Peterson was able to participate in team drills in his first practice since surgery to repair a torn meniscus in late September.

He was not willing to say whether Peterson is “less than 100 percent” right now. And he added that other factors will come in to play as both the player and the team decide if and when he will return to the lineup.

“We’ll have to see where he is at with his conditioning. There’s so many things to figure out,” he said. “I think he’s in pretty good shape but he hasn’t sat in meetings for three months. There’s a lot of things to consider.”

As Peterson has neared a return to action the past couple of weeks, Zimmer has been hesitant to talk about how Peterson’s presence could be beneficial. He did admit today that “I would think” it will help us to have him back because opposing defenses “will play us differently.”

Zimmer, however, is still not tipping his hand about when Peterson might play in a game and how the Vikings might utilize him if he does.