Report: Adrian Peterson will miss final two Vikings preseason games

Peterson will have to wait until the regular season to play. (AP)

Last weekend, Vikings coach Leslie Frazier's comments about Adrian Peterson maybe, potentially, possibly participating in Friday night's preseason game vs. the Chargers gave hope to the Minnesota fan base that Peterson actually is ahead of schedule in his rehab from a gruesome knee injury suffered last December.

Well, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, those Vikings fans can forget about seeing Peterson on the field this preseason. That's because, via the newspaper's source, Peterson won't play in the third or fourth preseason contests for the Vikings.

But, as Dan Wiederer writes, “… His big picture goal of being on the field for the regular season opener Sept. 9 against Jacksonville remains very realistic.”

Frazier has made sure to move awfully slowly as Peterson tries to speed up his comeback attempt. When Peterson says he's ready to play, Frazier taps the brakes and says things like, “We're going to give him a little bit more each day, see how he responds and continue to determine what is the next step. Just go day-to-day.”

Which obviously is the right call for the team and for Peterson's 2012 season.

Peterson, though, is fighting against the cautious approach.

“I wouldn't mind getting in for a couple of series just to test it out and see how I do,” Peterson said last week after his first padded practice. “Personally, to be honest with you, I feel like I'm fine and I'll be good to go no matter what. But it would be good to get some game action.”

Now, however, it looks like the first game action Peterson is going to get would occur in Week 1 of the regular season.

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