6 free-agent cornerbacks the Vikings could sign in 2020

Trae Waynes

The Vikings would probably love to bring Trae Waynes back for next season. But with their expected cap situation this year, the chances seem highly unlikely.

The only thing that might give Minnesota fans hope is the Anthony Barr situation from a year ago. It looked like a foregone conclusion that Barr was gone and it even was reported he was going to sign with the New York Jets.

But he changed his mind and what was more miraculous than that was that Vikings cap-guru, Rob Brezenzki, somehow whipped up a contract that was good for the team and also met Barr’s asking price.

It’s possible Brezenzki and Minnesota are able to work similar magic with Waynes this year. Waynes had a relatively quiet season in 2019, but that doesn’t necessarily equate to a bad one.

He had 58 tackles an interception, two forced fumbles, and eight pass breakups. Those aren’t staggering numbers, but teams weren’t targeting Waynes as much in 2019.

With Xavier Rhodes being almost a guaranteed completion every time teams threw at him last season, opposing quarterbacks didn’t end up throwing Waynes’ way as often as they have in the past.

Keeping Waynes would be huge for the Vikings. They’d have an experienced corner who is still in the prime of his career, he knows Mike Zimmer’s defense inside and out, and he would be able to become the leader of Minnesota’s cornerbacks. With Waynes, the Vikings would know what they’d be getting and that is one hell of a corner.