The future of Adrian Peterson with the Minnesota Vikings is up in the air as he's scheduled to earn a non-guaranteed salary in 2015 worth $15.4 million against the cap.

Peterson will be welcomed back by Mike Zimmer.

"Adrian was always great with me. I think he's a good person," Zimmer said, via ESPN.com. "I think obviously he's a great running back, and if it works out that way and things work out and he gets his life in order -- that's the most important thing, he gets his life in order, he gets the opportunity to come back -- then I will be in his corner whatever the decision is made.

"I think he would add value to any team, to be honest with you. I think the kid's a heck of a football player."

Andre Johnson is open to taking a pay cut to remain with the Houston Texans in 2015.

Johnson was interested in a trade last offseason.

"Nobody wants to hear that," said Johnson, when asked if he's willing to reduce his pay, per The Chronicle's Brian T. Smith. "But it's the nature of the business. I've seen it happen, heard it happen, had it happen to friends of mine. I understand that."

Johnson's uncle and longtime advisor, Andre Melton, said the wideout, set to make $10.5 million guaranteed in 2015 with a $16.1 salary-cap hit, would rework his contract if necessary.

"We understand it's a business and we're willing to deal with that," Melton said. "And Andre doesn't mind having a pay cut."

Peyton Manning intends to play in the 2015 season no matter what happens during the remainder of 2014.

"I have not thought about those circumstances at all," Manning said. "I certainly plan on being back if the Broncos would have me, but at this point I'm kind of thinking about Oakland. I know this is the time where conversations about what head coaches are going to return and I guess for some reason I get to fall into that category because I'm closer to the same age as some of the coaches.

"I have no plans along those lines [of retiring],'' Manning added. "I'm enjoying playing, I'm looking forward to Sunday's game and hopefully the game to follow that.''

Manning is 38 years old and in his 17th season.

The San Francisco 49ers would like to keep Frank Gore next season.

Gore, 31, is without a contract for 2015.

"We sure hope not," general manager Trent Baalke told CSNBayArea.com when asked if Gore may end up elsewhere.

The 49ers drafted Carlos Hyde last season to share duties at running back. 

Jeremy Maclin faces free agency this offseason and hopes to re-sign with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Maclin tore his ACL before the 2013 season and last winter signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract. He said at the time he hoped to work out a contract extension with the Eagles during the 2014 season.

Maclin changed agents in November. His former agent, Ben Dogra, was dismissed by his agency, CAA. Maclin opted to stay with CAA and is now represented by Tom Condon and John Caplin.

"I changed agents," Maclin said. "When you do that, it almost resets you a little bit. I want to be here, they want me here. We'll get something done."

Maclin became the Eagles' No. 1 receiver this season, catching 82 passes for 1,262 yards and 10 touchdowns.

"This is a great place to be," Maclin said Tuesday. "Everything that [owner Jeff] Lurie or Howie [Roseman, the GM] and Chip [Kelly, the head coach] has ever told me has always been true. Why wouldn't I want to be here? This is the place that drafted me. I want to end my career here. If we can get something worked out when the time is right, that's what will happen."

The Dallas Cowboys are prepared to use their franchise tag on Dez Bryant if they're unable to agree upon a long-term contract.

Jerry Jones made his comments on 105.3 The Fan Dallas/Fort Worth, confirming what had been widely expected.

"No, we have the franchise -- for sure. Not at all," he replied. "You're talking about Dez? No, we have the franchise alternative -- which I thought everybody was aware of."

Earlier in the interview, Jones had talked about the status of negotiations between the Cowboys and Bryant.

"The key thing is, in agreements -- and these are agreements -- to be trite, two have to agree," Jones said in the interview. "We've just got to come to an agreement there."

Jones added that the Cowboys have "got to really look at how we go forward managing our dollars."

"Every dollar that one player gets is not there for the next player or for another player. And so this thing has to be balanced out," he said.

The Arizona Cardinals are prepared to keep Larry Fitzgerald next season even with his $23.6 million cap hit.

“We have to make good business decisions,” Steve Keim told Arizona Sports 98.7, via Darren Urban of the team’s official website. “I don’t think it’s any secret that we said all along that it is our intent to have Larry Fitzgerald retire a Cardinal. I don’t want to get into it too deep, but with planning purposes and financially, from a cap standpoint and all those sort of things, we have Larry’s [cap] number already baked into our numbers.

“Now, any kind of business decisions moving forward, renegotiations with Larry and that sort of thing, we’ve had ongoing talks with [agent] Eugene Parker and we will continue to have ongoing talks. But again, the best I can tell you is that it is our intent to keep Larry and make sure he stays a Cardinal the rest of his career.”

Ryan Mallett would like to remain with the Houston Texans next season.

Mallett will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.

“Yeah. Of course. I like it here. I love the system,” Mallett said. “But it’s not the time of the year to discuss that. So we’re still in season; we’re focused on the Ravens.”

Mallett is hoping to be healthy enough to get in a good offseason of work.

“I’m attacking [the rehab] every morning so we’ll see how it goes. There’s no timetable. Day-to-day. We’ll see how it feels every day,” Mallett said.

The Seattle Seahawks have signed Cliff Avril to a four-year extension worth as much as $28.5 million with $16 million in guaranteed money.

Avril signed with Seattle two years ago after turning down a three-year, $30 million offer from the Detroit Lions.

Avril has been a productive pass rusher for the Seahawks.

Percy Harvin hopes to remain with the New York Jets next season.

"I feel at home here. I'm comfortable with all the players," Harvin said Friday, per the New York Post. "I like the vibe around here."

With a $10.5 million tab in 2015 and no guaranteed money past this year, the Jets must decide whether they want to pay Harvin or cut him loose.

Harvin has been a bigger part of the Jets' offense than he was with the Seattle Seahawks.