Vikings Sign No. 7 Pick Adrian Peterson

MANKATO, Minn. (AP) _ Running back Adrian Peterson agreed to terms with the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, ending the seventh overall draft pick's brief three-day holdout. <br/><br/>Peterson signed a

Sunday, July 29th 2007, 3:01 pm

By: News On 6

MANKATO, Minn. (AP) _ Running back Adrian Peterson agreed to terms with the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, ending the seventh overall draft pick's brief three-day holdout.

Peterson signed a five-year, $40.5 million deal with $17 million in guaranteed money and is expected to be in pads for the team's practice on Monday morning, meaning he will have missed five training camp sessions.

The Vikings are looking for Peterson to infuse a lifeless offense with some much-needed juice. Last year's unit set franchise lows for first downs and touchdown passes, while opposing defenses stacked the box to try to stop Minnesota's only real threat, running back Chester Taylor.

Now Taylor, who rushed for 1,214 yards last season but wore down late in the year as he approached 300 carries, has some help in what could be one of the league's best backfield tandems.

At 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, Peterson has a rare combination of size and blazing speed. He rushed for 4,045 yards in three years at Oklahoma despite missing seven games last season with collarbone and ankle injuries. He was also slowed by injuries for much of his sophomore season.

The Vikings have conducted extensive medical testing on Peterson's collarbone and determined this spring that he did not need surgery. Coach Brad Childress and team doctors have said all along that he would be ready for full contact by training camp, and now Peterson will get the chance to show it.

The news was first reported by the St. Paul Pioneer Press on its Web site.

While agent Ben Dogra was negotiating with the Vikings, Peterson stayed in Oklahoma and worked out on the Sooners' campus in Norman.

Childress maintained throughout the negotiations that it was important for Peterson to get as many repetitions in training camp as possible. He should have little catching up to do once he arrives.

Peterson participated in all the team's organized team activities earlier this summer, getting a chance to digest some of the playbook in preparation for training camp.

Veterans Artose Pinner and Mewelde Moore have been filling in for him alongside Taylor for the first three days in practice.