How will the former first-round pick’s time with the Minnesota Vikings be remembered after the cornerback departed in free agency?
The Minnesota Vikings will be without the services of cornerback Trae Waynes in 2020 after he made an expected free-agent departure this year.
The former first-round pick ended an indifferent spell with the Vikings by reportedly penning a bumper deal with the Cincinnati Bengals. This leaves the Minnesota secondary without their two starting corners from 2019 after Xavier Rhodes recently had his contract terminated to relieve salary cap pressure.
This was an expected move for both Waynes and the organization. With little wiggle room financially, it would have been difficult for the Minnesota decision-makers to give Waynes the sort of deal he was looking for.
His time as a member of the Vikings has come with its struggles after arriving in 2015. Waynes did show some glimpses of what he was capable of, especially during his sophomore campaign, but this did not translate to the rest of his career.
He will now move on to a new team and try and re-establish himself as a force to be reckoned with at the cornerback position. Waynes is still young enough to elevate his game to new heights and maybe a different surrounding will see his potential fulfilled.
Waynes has some added pressure on his shoulders given how much the Bengals decided to commit to the corner. It will be up to him to deliver on their faith.