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Trae Waynes: Pro Football Focus tells us what we should already know

By Dan Zinski

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Pro Football Focus has done a fairly in-depth breakdown of Trae Waynes and his struggles so far in preseason.

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PFF’s conclusion? Trae Waynes isn’t ready to start.

My response to PFF: Exactly.

Level-headed non-Kool-Aid-drinking Viking fans already know what the deal is with Trae Waynes.

The rookie CB out of Michigan State was absolutely lit up in preseason game 1 vs. Pittsburgh. He was slightly better in game 2 vs. Tampa Bay despite being deliberately targeted by Jameis Winston. He was torched again in game 3 by the Raiders.

Conclusion? Trae Waynes is going to need a lot of work.

As PFF reminds us, we knew what Waynes’ issues were coming out of college.

The scouting reports all said the same things: Great speed, terrific downfield cover guy, has trouble with change-of-direction and can be exploited on comeback routes, hitches, etc.,

Yeah, Rick Spielman read the same scouting reports. So did Mike Zimmer. And they still drafted him in the first round.

The Vikings knew what the deal was with Waynes before the draft. And we know what the deal is now. And that’s why we shouldn’t worry about Trae Waynes.

There is nothing going on here except what was expected all along. We have to be patient with Trae Waynes.

Some may ask: “If you acknowledge that Waynes is a rookie and we should be patient, why are you talking about his struggles in preseason at all?”

Answer: It’s called objective analysis.

Objective means you’re simply pointing out what you see without bias or preconception. If you don’t want such analysis, don’t read my posts. And don’t read Pro Football Focus.

Newsflash to some of you out there: Pro Football Focus did not “rip” Trae Waynes by pointing out the obvious. Nor am I ripping him.

PFF is saying the same thing I am saying: Waynes is a very unfinished product and is not ready to start now. And may not be ready to start until 2016.

The Vikings knew Waynes wouldn’t be ready to start right away, and that’s why they signed Terence Newman.

None of this is earth-shattering. But we’re talking about it because that’s what we do.

So, the people who are ripping Waynes need to lighten up. And the people who are losing their s–t “defending” Waynes also need to lighten up.

Those of us who understand what objectivity is? We can just keep rolling.

Next: Stefon Diggs saves Cordarrelle Patterson

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