Judge rules in favor of Peterson’s reinstatement

Roger Goodell may act like he’s one of the world’s supreme authorities, but there are actually quite a few people with more pull than the NFL commish – and one of them is U.S. District Judge David Doty.

On Thursday, Doty overturned a ruling by NFL arbitrator Harold Henderson that continues Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson’s suspension until at least April 15. Like a good fullback, Doty has cleared the path for Peterson’s reinstatement. But for now, the league is refusing to have it.

Doty said that Henderson’s decision to continue Peterson’s suspension “simply disregarded the law of the shop” and fails to meet the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement with the NFLPA.

The NFL issued its rebuttal after the ruling was handed down.

“We believe strongly that Judge Doty’s order is incorrect and fundamentally at odds with well-established legal precedent governing the district court’s role in reviewing arbitration decisions,” said league spokesman Brian McCarthy in an official statement. “As a result, we have filed a notice of appeal to have the ruling reviewed by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.”

The Vikings issued a statement that continues their commitment to nothing in particular.

“Adrian Peterson is an important member of the Minnesota Vikings, and our focus remains on welcoming him back when he is able to rejoin our organization,” the statement said. “Today’s ruling leaves Adrian’s status under the control of the NFL, the NFLPA and the legal system, and we will have no further comment at this time.”

The legal argument is based on the premise that Peterson was retroactively punished under a new set of rules from when he was originally suspended for violating the league’s domestic violence policy after charges arose from him hitting his son with a switch.

Falcons cut running back Steven Jackson

Maybe, just maybe, this could be the year veteran running back Steven Jackson ends up on a winning team.

Atlanta released Jackson on Thursday after two seasons with the team, a move that will save them $3.75 million against the salary cap.

It may also finally give Jackson a chance at making the playoffs, which is the whole reason he went to Atlanta in the first place. Jackson was a star during nine seasons in St. Louis, where he never made the playoffs before departing prior to the 2013 season.

Jackson is the league’s active rushing leader with 11,388 career yards.

Though he appears near the end of his usefulness as a running back, Jackson still believes he can help some team out there.

“Make no mistake: I can still punish a defense,” Jackson said in a post on his personal website, SJ39.com. “I still have a warrior’s heart. There are 1,000-yard seasons left in these legs. I know what I am still capable of, and I have every intention of proving it.”

Redskins sign DE Ricky Jean Francois

If you’ve ever been unemployed, you can only hope you find work as quickly as Ricky Jean Francois – especially for this kind of money.

The Washington Redskins signed the defensive lineman just days after he was released by the Indianapolis Colts, inking him to a three-year, $9 million deal with $4 million in guaranteed money.

Current Redskins general manager Scott McCloughan was the one who brought Jean Francois into the league, drafting him in the seventh round for the San Francisco 49ers in 2009.

Jean Francois had three sacks and 28 total tackles for the Colts last season. Indy saved $5.5 million against the salary cap by cutting him, which is money that can come in quite handy if the Colts decide to make a run at impending free agent defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.