Is Trae Waynes entering his final season with the Vikings?
By Luke Parrish
Waynes has improved
Trae Waynes has become more consistent over the last two seasons. He has grown a ton in the passing game since his rookie campaign. Despite declining turnover and pass deflection numbers over the last three years, Waynes has still vastly improved on the outside.
He has been a consistent force in the run game as one of the better tackling cornerbacks in the league. After registering just 22 tackles as a rookie, Waynes has impacted the game much more since. He posted 131 total tackles over the last three seasons, including five for a loss.
These numbers are nice, but he is paid to defend the pass first and foremost.
Since entering the NFL in 2015, Waynes has 34 pass deflections and six interceptions. Vikings fans may be far too familiar with his penalties, however, he has also drastically improved in that area during his time with the team.
He was flagged seven times in 2016 and four times in 2017. Last season, Waynes was called for just three penalties for 34 yards and only one of these came on third down. His maturation in the disciplinary aspect of playing corner has to be noticed.
Is he worth a new contract?
Minnesota was smart in picking up Waynes’ fifth-year option last year before extending his contract.
He will have one more full season for the team to fully evaluate his play before making a long-term commitment. With a substantial payday looming, the Vikings could potentially have a big decision on their hands.
Trading the young corner is also still a possibility this year too if Minnesota wants to free up some money to bring in a notable free agent.
Waynes is slated to count for roughly $9 million of the Vikings’ salary cap this season. His second contract will likely pay him a yearly salary in the double digits, so Minnesota absolutely must do their due diligence before they decide to give him another deal.