It has been an interesting year for fans of the Minnesota Vikings. The 2014 NFL draft led to a lot of excitement around the state as they drafted potential franchise quarterback Teddy Bridgewater out of Louisville. However, that excitement was short-lived as Adrian Peterson, the team’s future Pro Football Hall of Fame running back, missed the final 15 games of the season due to legal troubles.

Even so, the Vikings were a resilient bunch and the rookie signal caller, Bridgewater, led Minnesota to a 7-9 record. He did so despite the distractions of the Peterson controversy and the subsequent lack of dominant running game.

This begs the question, would the Vikings be a contender if Peterson was to come back to the team in 2015? By ‘contender’ I specifically mean that the Vikings would be a legitimate threat to win the NFC North and perhaps go on a run through the playoffs. It cannot be forgotten that this roster does feature a lot of talent, but with each passing day it seems more and more like Peterson is simply unwilling to come back to the team.

According to Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com, Peterson’s agent recently said, “I don’t think it’s in Adrian’s best interest to play in Minnesota. Why would it be?”

Well, for one thing, this team is trending upwards and has a young quarterback at the helm that many people believe is going to lead this team for quite some time. Not to mention, this franchise made a trade to make the offense younger and more dangerous, but we’ll dive into that a bit later.

Honestly, Peterson may have to face the fact that he pretty much has to stay in Minnesota — or retire. Connor Orr of NFL.com reported that Vikings’ head coach Mike Zimmer said, “We’re planning on him being back,” he said. “We have no plans to trade Adrian.” He also said, “He’s under contract for three more years with us and that’s why you sign these contracts, and why you get these big bonuses.”

It appears as though the Vikings aren’t going to budge and the team that many people thought Peterson wanted to end up with, the Dallas Cowboys, most likely don’t have the cap space to absorb his contract either.

Over the next three years Peterson is owed $44.25 million and he’s already 30 years old. It seems to reason that the best option for Peterson would be to simply stay with the team he has been with all along.

The Vikings’ offense is on track to be much more dangerous in 2015. This offseason they traded for speedy wide receiver Mike Wallace from Miami. He, coming off a 10 touchdown season, instantly gives Bridgewater another weapon on the outside.

Imagine if opposing defenses had to prepare to stop an aerial attack that included Wallace, a potential superstar receiver Cordarrelle Patterson and an MVP-caliber running back such as Peterson — defensive coordinators would have fits! Not to mention, Minnesota has a couple of other young, talented receivers and a reliable tight end in Kyle Rudolph.

Aug 28, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) leaves the field after the game against the Tennessee Titans at LP Field. The Vikings won 19-3. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports

Bridgewater should only get better over the next few seasons; seasons which could be the final few productive years of Peterson’s career.

Could this offense be a force to be reckoned with as early as next season if Peterson decided to come back to the team he’s under contract with? Yes, the team finished 27th in the league in total yards per game in 2014, but still managed a 7-9 recored. With Peterson, this team’s offensive production would dramatically rise; perhaps the record would follow suit.

The Vikings posted the seventh-best pass defense in the NFL last season and in today’s NFL, that is quite impressive. This will only help them as they attempt to ascend back to a contender-level of play.

A few factors led the team to finish an underwhelming 28th in passing offense in 2014. One reason was the fact that offensive coordinator Norv Turner was, in some ways, protecting his rookie quarterback by calling less risk-filled passing plays. The other, and obvious, reason was that opposing defenses didn’t have to worry about Peterson’s running ability, so they could focus more on pass defense.

In 2015 Bridgewater’s development could match up perfectly with Peterson’s return. Defenses would once again have to cheat up to stop Peterson’s rushing attack and Bridgewater could air it out over-the-top. This is an especially enticing thought now that Wallace, and his speed, will be the top receiving threat in Minnesota.

The Vikings’ defense didn’t lose any pieces heading into the 2015 season. Likewise, the offense will be better even without Peterson. If Peterson comes around and decides to suit up in purple and gold once again, this team could surprise people and potentially even become a contender again.

Look out rest of the NFC North; we all know how fast teams rise and fall in this undeniably unpredictable league.