Source: Peterson reaches plea deal

— -- Running back  Adrian Peterson has reached a plea deal in his child abuse case and is not expected to serve any jail time, a source confirmed to ESPN's Michele Steele.

Peterson will enter a plea Tuesday afternoon to a lesser charge than the felony child abuse charge that he is currently facing, the source confirmed.

The Minnesota Vikings star, who has been on the commissioner's exempt list since being indicted in September, will enter a plea to one misdemeanor count of reckless assault, according to the source.

Peterson's plea deal was reported earlier Tuesday by ProFootballTalk.com, which also reported that the plea will not include any references to family violence or violence against a minor.

If Judge Kelly Case accepts the plea, Peterson will be placed on probation, pay a $2,000 fine and perform 80 hours of community service, according to ProFootballTalk.com.

The NFL and the Vikings have not yet decided on whether they will suspend Peterson, who already has missed eight games with pay this season under the terms of the commissioner's exempt list.

League spokesperson Brian McCarthy did not offer a timetable for when the NFL will make a decision, telling ESPN's Ben Goessling that the league "will review the court documents."

The NFL Players Association expects that the league will punish Peterson as it would any other player determined to be guilty of a misdemeanor, league sources told ESPN's Ed Werder.

The union will likely argue, sources told Werder, that Peterson, who has been paid his full salary of nearly $5.3 million in his absence, should be reinstated and perhaps forced to pay a substantial fine -- surrendering part of the income he's been receiving.

Only commissioner Roger Goodell can reinstate Peterson from the exempt list, meaning the two could be required to meet.

Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy, who is facing a trial for a domestic violence charge, also was placed on the exempt list in September.

Both players agreed as part of a deal that they would be ineligible to play until their cases are adjudicated, but that they would receive full compensation until that time.

Once Goodell reinstates Peterson, presuming the commissioner eventually does so, the Vikings would either have to allow the running back to return to the team or be required to release him.

Vikings general manager Rick Spielman declined to comment on Peterson during his midseason news conference Tuesday.

"All I'm going to say is basically at the appropriate time, and I know you guys can appreciate this, we'll keep all of our comments under the Adrian situation until it's appropriate to speak," Spielman said. "And I'll just leave it at that."

The Vikings' position on all of this remains a mystery. They have been silent since Peterson was put on the exempt list, so there is uncertainty as to whether the Vikings are willing to reinsert Peterson into their lineup.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer was asked about Peterson on Monday as the team began its bye week, and he made it clear he judges Peterson based on his own personal interactions and considers him to be "top-notch, first-class."

A prolific player at his position, Peterson set an NFL record with 296 rushing yards against San Diego on this date in 2007.

ESPN's Ed Werder and ESPN.com Vikings reporter Ben Goessling contributed to this report.