Adrian Peterson: ‘It’s time for a change’

Adrian Peterson wants out of Minnesota.

The Vikings star running back went on a Twitter rant Thursday afternoon about the unfair nature of the NFL’s non-guaranteed contracts before finally addressing his specific situation 10 tweets in.

But at that point he made himself perfectly clear: “It’s time for a change!” he tweeted.

Peterson has been a no-show at this week’s organized team activities for the Vikings. While those practices are voluntary, he’s forfeiting a $250,000 workout bonus by not participating.

Peterson, who still has three years left on his contract with the Vikings, is said to be unhappy with the amount of support he received from the team while he was facing child abuse charges last year. The 2012 NFL MVP played just one game last season and spent the rest either on the commissioner’s exempt list or suspended.

He pleaded no contest to misdemeanor reckless assault and has since been reinstated to the league. But Peterson said in February he felt “uneasy” about returning to the Vikings and his agent reportedly pushed the team to trade his client before the draft.

Vikings Coach Mike Zimmer told reporters on Wednesday of Peterson: “He’s really got two choices. He can either play for us or he cannot play. So he’s not gonna play for anyone else and that’s just the way it’s gonna be.”

Around 1 p.m. PDT, Peterson took to Twitter to lament the fact that NFL contracts are mostly non-guaranteed, meaning teams can cut players at any point during the duration of the contracts but players are not free to leave whenever they see fit.

“A lill crazy how one side has so much power that they can do as they please when it come to the contract!” Peterson tweeted. “But when the other-side (player’s) Feels for whatever reason! Family, Change of scenery or simply - what they feels just might work best for them! Those same laws don’t apply!”

Eventually Peterson got specific.

“All I’m saying as a Minnesota Viking player! WE need the same power to do as all 32 teams do we they feel, under contract or not!” he tweeted. “It’s time for a change! Then again I’m grateful because at the end of the day, I know some of those same guys that wish a team held on!”

Peterson wasn’t done. About 5 p.m. he again turned to Twitter to express his frustration with the NFL Players Assn. and lack of fully guaranteed contracts.

“This is not against the Vikings. I am just frustrated that our union did not get guaranteed contracts for its players,” Peterson tweeted. “NFL players deserve guaranteed contacts like Our NBA and MLB brothers.”

Peterson also vented about teams being able to release players at any time, but players not having “the luxury of saying that they want out of their contract. And I won’t even get into the franchise tag convo,” he wrote.

The franchise tag is a designation that allows teams to retain one player each year from unrestricted free agency.

Peterson’s new venting session was wrapped up with one final tweet: “#PlayersUnion #TogetherAchangeWillcome.”

Staff writer Ryan Parker contributed to this report.