Adrian Peterson’s return after almost a full season away from football as an active player could give the Minnesota Vikings’ offense the missing element that lifts them from a team struggling to get to .500 to a top contender in the NFC North.
Then again, it might not.
A runner is an important piece of the puzzle, but not as much as a quarterback or the collective pieces that make up a dominant defense.
With Peterson back, the Vikings might – emphasis on might-- take a step up from back-to-back losing seasons.