Adrian Peterson returns to practice for first time since Week 2

Adrian Peterson set his eyes on a Dec. 24 return against the Green Bay Packers, and he took his first step towards making that happen on Wednesday.

Peterson has officially been designated for return from IR and will practice on Wednesday, the first time he’ll do so since tearing his meniscus in Week 2.

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The Vikings have sorely missed Peterson’s presence on the field, ranking 32nd in rushing yards with just 73.4 per game. Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata simply haven’t gotten the job done and it’s hurt the offense greatly.

Now that he’s been designated for return, the Vikings have a three-week window to evaluate him and decide whether to activate him to the 53-man roster. Sunday’s game against the Colts will have a big impact on that decision, considering Peterson said it’d be “pointless” to return if the Vikings were out of playoff contention.

Peterson has 50 yards on 31 carries this season in the two games that he played.