Appeals official Harold Henderson is not expected to announce a ruling on Adrian Peterson’s case until next week, but resolution could come sooner than that if Peterson and the NFL are able to settle the case by negotiating a mutually acceptable deal.

According to PFT, such a deal is actively being sought by all sides concerned.

Mike Florio explains the NFL’s possible motivation in seeking a negotiated settlement rather than a ruling:

Henderson likely will be monitoring any settlement talks before he decides the case. He already has urged the two sides to work something out, which means he’d prefer not to issue a ruling. While the NFL would have realized maximum value by settling the case before Vincent testified, a settlement now would avoid the possibility of another written decision that makes the NFL look bad.

Peterson’s motivation is obvious: he wants to get back on the field as soon as possible. A settlement in the next couple of days would allow him to return to the Vikings for a full week of practice and get back on the playing field against Detroit.

This of course assumes that the Vikings want Peterson back. There is some thought that the Vikings could just cut Peterson if he is reinstated, rather than deal with the public relations backlash that would surely ensue if he suits up again in purple.

It’s believed that some in the Vikings’ front office are strongly against Peterson returning in the event he is reinstated.