Minnesota Vikings to Part Ways with CB Antoine Winfield

With the new NFL season just getting underway, there are bound to be a few moves that will surprise the heck out of people. Well, one of those moves happened today when the Minnesota Vikings released veteran cornerback Antoine Winfield.

Up to this point, the only talk regarding Winfield is that the Vikings were going to use him in a much more limited capacity. Nobody was predicting that he would be cut.

The reason behind this is apparently due to Winfield refusing to take a pay cut. The Vikings then decided he was no longer worth keeping on the roster.

As of now, I really don’t like this move. Winfield’s veteran presence in the secondary was a positive thing, even in a limited role. Sure, Winfield isn’t the player he once was, but he’s still a very good corner. Even with what he lost on the field, he most certainly brought back in the form of leadership and guidance to the many young players in the secondary.

With any move of this nature, fans must look at the big picture. Winfield at best would have played another two years. The Vikings are not building a team for the short-term, they’re building a team for the long-term. This move leads me to believe that GM Rick Spielman has bigger plans for the secondary, likely via the draft.

It’s too bad Winfield’s career had to end this way in Minnesota, bud the cliche of football being a business is the correct way to rationalize this move.

 

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