Vikings Could Run It Back with Familiar CB
Ted Schwerzler
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The Minnesota Vikings selected Trae Waynes with the 11th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He played in 74 games for the purple with 53 starts. Now, after being released on the heels of a lucrative three-year deal, Waynes could be brought back for a team in desperate need of help at the cornerback position.
After leaving Minnesota, Waynes went to former head coach Mike Zimmer’s previous defense. Signing a $42 million deal, Waynes was expected to be a key piece for Cincinnati on the edges. He’d operated primarily as the left cornerback. And had picked off seven passes during his five-year career. At 6’0” tall, he had the length to reign in some of the bigger wide receivers in the league. Unfortunately, things went pear-shaped rather quickly for him in his new home.
After tearing his pectoral muscle in August of 2020, Waynes underwent surgery and ultimately missed the entirety of that season. He then dealt with injury again last season and played just five games, starting four of them. Most of his time came on special teams, and he finished the time spent with the Bengals by registering just a single pass defended. After racking up at least 40 tackles in each of his starting seasons with the Vikings, Waynes accounted for just 12 a season ago.
By cutting Waynes, the Bengals are tied to $5 million in a dead cap hit but save $10.9 million against the salary cap. Now on the open market, it’s worth wondering if a new regime may have a desire to bring back a familiar face.
For Waynes, the biggest deterrent has been injury. Obviously, it’s not a great vote of confidence that Cincinnati opted to continue starting Eli Apple when Waynes returned healthily, but the likelihood that he could be a durable starter in the organization was a ship that had presumably sailed.
Kevin O’Connell’s roster currently has just four cornerbacks on it, and that’s a problem in and of itself. Looking at the options, you’ve got Harrison Hand, Cameron Dantzler, Kris Boyd, and Parry Nickerson. For a unit that was already extremely overmatched a season ago, the loss of starter Patrick Peterson was always going to be felt. There’s no denying that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has to address the position in both free agency and the draft, but a known commodity may not be the worst plan of action.
Obviously, for the Vikings, a level of health and availability would need to be present for Waynes to make any sense. The Bengals likely wouldn’t have been cutting a player they paid handsomely if he’d been able to remain on the field. Minnesota can’t afford to bring in a player that won’t contribute on Sundays for them. The situation may play into a cap-strapped team’s hands, though, too.
If the front office can make Waynes an offer on a one-year prove-it deal, both sides could find an opportunity to win. Waynes will be 30 this year, and he still has room for another payday if he can return to competent ability and show a level of durability. It’d be a gamble for a team needing players they can rely on at the position, but both parties have plenty to gain.
What do you think? Are you open to Trae Waynes looking to rebuild his value in Minnesota? For a guy that previously had no concerns regarding durability, is there opportunity for him to show a clean bill of health?
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