Michael Lombardi of NFL.com thinks the Minnesota Vikings and running back Adrian Peterson are headed towards a contract dispute.

"The next player to complain about his contract will be Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who missed the mandatory minicamp due to a scheduling conflict," Lombardi wrote in his debut column for NFL.com on Sunday.

Peterson, the seventh overall pick in the 20007 NFL Draft, is a three-time Pro Bowler who has 4,484 yards and 40 touchdowns during his 46-game career. Peterson was the NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2007, led the NFL in rushing in 2008, in rushing touchdowns in 2009, and yards rushing per game in 2007 and 2008.

In doing so, Peterson has triggered escalators in his contract that raised his 2010 base salary from $1.14M to $3.64 million dollars. Peterson's $1.525M salary in 2011 has already increased to $10.72 million dollars, and his 2012 salary ($895K) has been voided.

The Vikings will likely seek to avoid paying Peterson a $10.72 million dollar base salary in 2011, so a new contract for Purple Jesus is something the team will be just as interested in doing as the player. They're just not likely to act before the labor situation is resolved, and Peterson--who has averaged 333 touches per season--gets through 2010 in one piece.