Vikings still want Winfield back

Posted by Mike Florio on April 3, 2013, 7:30 PM EDT
AP

At a time when the Redskins and cornerback Antoine Winfield reportedly have “high mutual interest,” the Vikings remain interested in a reunion.

Minnesota cut Winfield last month, avoiding his way-above-market $7.25 million base salary.  Coach Leslie Frazier has said that he wants the team to bring back the hard-nosed tackler whom the Vikings signed as a free agent in 2004.

The Vikings, we’re told, are actively trying to re-sign Winfield.  And the Vikings have more to work with; they have $4.4 million in cap space while the Redskins have only $669,000.

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50 responses to “Vikings still want Winfield back”

  1. and winfield does not have “high interest” in the redskins, they want him and he is using them as a fallback option incase he cant work something out with the vikings and still wants to play football for another year or 2

  2. This guy must be 60 years old. Though he’d still be an upgrade in my Redskins’ defensive backfield.

  6. I’m sure they do, but I also think he wants a ring and he knows the Vikes are at least 2-3 or more likely, 3-4, years away from competing for that. I don’t think he has the time to wait.

  7. The Packers would love to see him sign with the Vikings again.

    Rodgers needs a few stat padding games here and there, to keep his God-like numbers intact.

  14. I think he will eventually sign back in MN. May want to win, but I don’t think Washington is there just yet. If the Patriots or Denver were to come calling, then he might opt to head out of town.

  17. i personally believe it would be a disgrace if the vikings did not resign Winny. guy was still our best DB last year. Still one of the best tacklers in the league and can be a game changer. obviously he can’t take %100 of the snaps but his play as well as his leadership and intangibles make him one of the more valuable players on the vikings squad in my opinion.

  21. This guy in the nickel, is basically the worlds tiniest linebacker. Unbelievable player, and worth at least 5 million for a year.

  23. All Purple bias aside – Name me a D-Back who tackles better than this guy! So many guys in league today do not wrap up like this guy does! For his size, he dives right in the storm and busts plays up. His family is still here too. Great character guy too!!

  24. As a Viking 4life since 1968 I follow both NFL and College football fanatically. Having said that I still do not understand the salary cap. It seems that no matter how much money the Washington Redskins throw away every year they still have money to burn-how is that? As much as I love the Vikings and want to see Winfield back I don’t understand what is so difficult? Winfield does not want to move or be away from his family for a year especially being here the last nine years. He’s got to realize he’s about to be a 36 year old cornerback/safety there should be some give on his part. If the Redskins can come up with enough money to sign Winfield the Vikings should be easily able to sign Winfield. Where do the Redskins get all that cap space all the time???

  26. Redskins and CAP space? The Redskins have $67,000 left to spend after reworking several contracts. They couldn’t sign my my gardner with that let alone a quality free agent. They are completely clueless when it comes to managing a salary cap.

  29. The skins are very smart with cap work and the GM is one of the best at it. I would like Winfield as a skin but won’t lose sleep over it .l just started this blog thing and have read some stupid and rediculous things written by some fans of other teams but I must say that vikes fans for the most part are reasonable and smart good job.Winfields ours though! HTTR!

  31. It’s so funny how so many people are experts on the Redskins, but the only things coming out are the same things we’ve been hearing for 20 years. The last three seasons not one team has done a better job accumulating talent while getting younger and cheaper. Enjoy your cookie cutter opinions while we make them look exactly like that.

  32. lets see hmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!! how about this no reunion and i will be happy!!!!!!!!!!!!

  33. Sorry, ‘Toine, but Nnamdi set the market for aging CBs by taking $1.4.

    True, Nnamdi’s best 2 years aren’t comparable to Winfield’s worst 2, but he’s 4 years younger, and refused any guaranteed money: He wants to earn it.

    Does Winfield want to earn his last contract? Or rock the bench and mentor his betters on how to tackle?

    I think he wants to play, and although he won’t get a fraction of what he thinks he’s worth from either WAS or MIN, he’ll end his career in Minny.

  34. The Vikings can’t get this guy signed, which is too bad because he’s dreamy.

  35. Apparently you don’t follow the nfl fanatically because you’d know the redskins have taken a very measured approach to FA since Shanahan took over. Where do they cap space? You obviously don’t understand the cap because not every dollar that they put on contract doesn’t count against the cap that year. That being said, the redskins have on of the most competent front offices in the NFL.

  36. The Vikings don’t have much cap room to do anything so it matters little what they want and more a question of what they can afford.

    Winfield is their best corner but when you blow your salary cap on a over the hill WR and buck tooth DE, its tough to fill out the rest of your roster.

    Maybe they can restructure Ponder’s contract and pay him on pass completions over 20 yards downfield. He would basically play for free.

  37. whatjusthapped is right. VikeQueens have too much invested in players we don’t like! That’s what me and whatjusthapped say! The two of us! Together 4Eva!!

  38. The reality is he’s slow and old.

    And he refused to take a pay cut so he got cut. In other words he overplayed his hand as they say.

    If he is resigned lets hope he doesn’t play very much because for every amazing tackle he makes he gives up an easy completion.

  39. No team is going to pay Winfield the $7.5 million he had been slated to make before being released. That said, the Vikings could use a good deal of that cap room to re-sign him. If they do though, they will almost certainly have to either redo Kevin Williams contract, or cut KW outright.

    If Winfield is re-signed before the draft, look for the Vikings to use one of their first round picks on a replacement for Kevin Williams.

  40. How can the Vikings not want a player like Winfield back who has as many pro Bowls (3) as any active Packer player.

  42. I think AW signs with the team (Redskins) going in the right direction. The ring is the thing for a guy nearing 40 years of age. The Vikings are nowhere near the finish line.

  43. No doubt looks like been a buyers market for most deals involving the secondary players. If he waits till after the draft, his options may all be gone for any money at all. Best bet may be to wait then, for the training camp injuries.

  44. If Winfield signs outside the division, he probably won’t have to be humiliated by the Packers twice a season, like he has been with the Vikings for the last 3 years. Obviously that is weighing on him heavily.

  45. Here’s the thing, I’ve been a Viking fan for 0ver 30 years, and what they did to Winfield after the years he’s given them is just wrong. Call it a “business decision” all you want, but to cut him like that without even a discussion of restructuring is pretty low. I would be surprised if he came back, even though he and Frazier have a great relationship.

  46. I just want a Skins fan to explain how they are good at managing the CAP when all they do is kick the can down the road living in a perpetual CAP hell? $67,000 left to spend is good CAP management? If not for RG3 and the Browns stupidity you would be looking at another 4 win season.

  48. Vikes should have try to rework his deal instead of cutting him quick like that

    —————

    They did try to rework his deal and he refused to take a pay cut.

  49. The skins aren’t in “cap hell” because they’re making bad contract decisions. At the end of this season they will immediately get back 18 million. Your judgements of the redskins seemed based on past free agent mistakes, and them finishing near the bottom for most of the past 20 years. The patriots weren’t very good before 2000, the colts were dreadful before they got Peyton Manning, and the saints were miserable before 2007; but nobody’s talking about that because things are different now. In two or three years you might see the redskins differently, and what will your opinions have amounted to? It won’t matter because you all will be busy finding something else to talk about.

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