Adrian Peterson to undergo surgery, could return in 2016

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson will have surgery Thursday morning to fix his torn meniscus, the team announced Wednesday. He has only 50 yards on 31 attempts this season. His replacement will be second-year player T.J. Clemmings, who started all 16 games on the right side a season ago but played just one year of left tackle at Pittsbugh after converting from the defensive line. It could be three weeks, four weeks.

On Monday, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer told KFAN’s Dan Barreiro that Peterson has a torn meniscus in his right knee.

Minnesota (2-0) on Wednesday signed running back Ronnie Hillman, who was with the Broncos when they won the Super Bowl last season.

Surgery to fix a bucket handle tear on the meniscus generally requires between three and four months of recovery time, making a return this season a reach.

“Everything is possible”, Zimmer said. Jerick McKinnon will start at Carolina.

Kalil was placed on injured reserve with a lingering hip problem that he played through in the first two games.

“It could be season ending”, Zimmer said.

The Vikings haven’t given up on their chase for a championship, though.

“He has to make a decision on whether to fix it”, Zimmer said. “I know everybody is all concerned about we don’t have this, we don’t have that”.

“We’re not the type of team that’s going to sit back and cry about what’s happened”, Zimmer said.