By Matt Vensel

Minneapolis Star Tribune

The Adrian Peterson saga reportedly took yet another twist at the NFL scouting combine last week.

According to CBSSports.com, Ben Dogra, the agent for the suspended running back, got into a “heated verbal altercation” with Rob Brzezinski, Vikings vice president of football operations. The two had to be separated, reportedly by ESPN analyst and former NFL General Manager Mark Dominik.

The report added that Dogra “made it clear” during the dust-up that Peterson, who is under contract with the Vikings through the 2017 season, would never play for the team again.

The Monday report from CBS Sports came four days after Peterson told ESPN he felt “uneasy” about the prospect of returning to the Vikings and called their decision to work with the NFL to get him placed on the commissioner’s exempt list following his September child-abuse charge an “ambush.” But Peterson did not definitively tell ESPN he was ready to leave Minnesota.

The Vikings, meanwhile, praised Peterson through the media in recent weeks, saying they would like him to play for them this season. Speaking at the scouting combine in Indianapolis on Wednesday, GM Rick Spielman took it a step further, saying he expects Peterson to be back.

Spielman sidestepped questions, though, about Peterson’s contract, which could be at the root of the conflict between the player and the organization.

The Vikings are expected to ask Peterson to take a pay cut to reduce his restrictive $12.75 million base salary and his $15.4 million salary cap hit for 2015. Both are league highs at the running back position, and Peterson turns 30 in March.

The CBS report did not say what specifically led to the raised voices of Brzezinski and Dogra, but Brzezinski is the team’s lead contract negotiator.