Photo - Aj Mansour (KFAN)
By: Aj Mansour | KFAN.com
@AjMansourKFAN
Mankato, MN - With the first preseason game of the Vikings 2012 season two days away, Adrian Peterson continues to chomp at the bit hoping that his recovery will soon be able to take the next step of getting back on the field for football drills.
"I've thought about it and I'm ready to get hit," Peterson said Wednesday afternoon. "I want to take some shots in that [knee] area just to see how I feel and get back used to getting hit."
Peterson has not played or simulated a down of football since tearing the ACL in his left knee. The rehabilitation process following the reconstructive surgery has been a grueling process. One that Adrian hopes is leading him towards a return for the Vikings in week one against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
If Peterson realistically expects to see time in week one, he will need to takes snaps during the Vikings preseason schedule to get back into form.
"I haven't talked to coach yet," Peterson said in regards to asking to be taken off the teams PUP list. "I'm just going to go with the flow and let the chips fall where they may...Hopefully that plan is just to get back in there and, you know, slowly but surely get back into the rhythm of things. I'm just excited, I've been working hard to get back out here and get onto the field with the guys."
Head coach Leslie Frazier seems to be in a similar mind set to that of Peterson as they continue to aim for a week one return.
"There are no indications at this point, that he wouldn't [be ready to play in week one]," coach Frazier said. "If we thought that he was capable of maybe playing in that first ball game, we'd like to get him some snaps in the preseason so that he could mentally make that adjustment he needs to make for game speed and also gain the confidence that he needs. If we determine that it's not a realistic goal based on what we see when we finally take the reigns off of him…then you have to wait until the season."
Peterson also shared that despite the reconstructed ACL in his knee, he has no plans to where a protective brace when he does return to action.
"No brace," Peterson said. "Maybe like a knee sleeve or something just to pull up over it just to keep it warm, but no knee-brace."
Peterson fears that a knee brace would not only limit his mobility but they are simply not comfortable to wear.
"It is what it is," Adrian said. "If I get hit in the knee it's like I'm back to normal now. I'm just going all natural like I have been in the past."
Peterson will be staying behind in Mankato as the Vikings travel to San Francisco for preseason game #1 on Friday.
Aj Mansour covers Minnesota Sports for KFAN.com. Feel free to leave comments and questions regarding this post in the space provided below. For Vikings' updates and breaking Vikings' news, follow Aj on Twitter. @AjMansourKFAN
