Former Vikings first-round pick released by the Bengals

Former Minnesota Vikings cornerback Trae Waynes has been released by the Cincinnati Bengals after just two seasons with the team.

During the 2020 offseason, the Minnesota Vikings saw a number of longtime members of their roster walk out the door and sign with other teams in the NFL. One of those players was cornerback Trae Waynes, who signed a three-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals worth $42 million.

In his first season with the Bengals, he didn’t even appear in a game due to injuries and COVID-19 protocols. Waynes eventually got on the field for Cincinnati during the 2021 campaign, but he still only appeared in five games.

During his first two years with the Bengals, the former Vikings cornerback certainly didn’t live up to the expectations that came with the contract he was given in 2020. Because of this, Cincinnati decided to end their relationship with Waynes on Monday.

Cincinnati Bengals release former Minnesota Vikings CB Trae Waynes

The former Minnesota cornerback was set to make a significant amount of money for the Bengals next season. But Cincinnati clearly didn’t feel that Waynes was worth what he was going to be paid, so they cut him and saved over $10.8 million in cap space in the process.

Before landing with the Bengals in 2020, Waynes spent his first five seasons in the NFL with the Vikings. Minnesota selected him in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft and the team was hoping he would develop into their next great cornerback.

Waynes was solid in his tenure with the Vikings. But he was still really never able to live up to the expectations that came with being drafted in the first round.

At 29-years-old, another team in the league will probably give him another shot. Minnesota is conveniently in need of cornerback help this offseason, but it would be a surprise if Waynes wound up re-joining the team that drafted him for the 2022 campaign.