Winfield released

[dead_poet]

BREAKING: #Vikings just released Antoine Winfield.

Tom Pelissero on Twitter

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R-R-R-Revis...?

[dead_poet]

Man, I'm frankly shocked. Winfield is one of my all-time favorite Vikings.

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR TEAM!??!!?

Somebody needs to sit on me.





...In Rick We Trust?

[HardcoreVikesFan]

OH ####! I was not expecting that!

Revis time?

[S197]

Love the guy but he was overpaid for being a nickel corner. Maybe he restructures and comes back? If not, he'll be missed, one of the best technical tacklers out there (not a guy looking to hurt someone) and a hell of a competitor.

[smoothoperator]

i like this. clearly we are going to make some moves. saves money and we will get someone younger

[HardcoreVikesFan]

I wonder if he will take his talents to the west coast? Maybe join some other Vikings in Seattle?

[Cliff]

Man ... that hurts. I hope we can get him back at a reduced rate. Coming off one of his best seasons ever he's still obviously got something left in the tank.

[PurpleMustReign]

WOW...

Do you think he could re-sign for less pay? That's a SHOCKER!!

[dead_poet]

Antoine Winfield release is another indication that Rick Spielman's plan has nothing to do with quick fixes. This is a process.

Winfield move doesn't have to relate to clearing space for anything else. $7.25M cap number high for 36-year-old part-time player.

[Eli]

Love the guy but he was overpaid for being a nickel corner. Maybe he restructures and comes back? If not, he'll be missed, one of the best technical tacklers out there (not a guy looking to hurt someone) and a hell of a competitor.

Not going to happen. He was released because he _wouldn't_ restructure his contract and take a pay cut.

The big question I have now is whether Spielman is getting cocky. He had great success last year with unceremoniously cutting older players and forcing the team to become younger, then had a very good draft. Can he pull it off two years in a row? I'm skeptical.

[Cliff]

Not going to happen. He was released because he _wouldn't_ restructure his contract and take a pay cut.

The big question I have now is whether Spielman is getting cocky. He had great success last year with unceremoniously cutting older players and forcing the team to become younger, then had a very good draft. Can he pull it off two years in a row? I'm skeptical.

I don't think "cocky" is the right word. Like posted above ... 7.25 million cap hit for a 36-year old part time player. He simply doesn't fit the mold for that number.

[Now its our time]

I'm a little surprised at this move. Spielman better have a replacement in mind because Winfield was still a good CB. Just look at the Packers game in week 17 when Winfield went down. Rodgers kept picking the Vikes (and poor Marcus Sherels) apart for the rest of the game.

[smoothoperator]

for seven million we can find a much, much better replacement

[dead_poet]

Less than optimistic/flattering piece.

Antoine Winfield dumped by Vikings after refusing pay cut

The veteran defensive-back bloodletting continues. Due to earn $7.25 million this season, Antoine Winfield has been released by the Minnesota Vikings, agent Ashanti Webb tells NFL.com's Ian Rapoport. ESPN 1500 Twin Cities' Tom Pelissero first had the report.

Although Winfield was arguably the league's premier run defender at cornerback and didn't allow a single touchdown last season, coach Leslie Frazier recently suggested that he was headed for a role reduction.

The Vikings are high on young cornerbacks Chris Cook and Josh Robinson, but this move appears to be driven primarily by monetary concerns. The team wanted Winfield to take a pay cut, but he was having none of that.

Coming on the heels of the Percy Harvin blockbuster trade, the Vikings have lost their second-best offensive and defensive players in a span of 24 hours.

As expected, several people associated with the organization are less than thrilled with Winfield's departure. "It's a move backwards," one source told Rapoport. An assistant coach added, "Winfield is a valuable contributor, an excellent leader. Someone will be lucky to have him."

Winfield turns 36 in June and is ideally suited for the slot. He's still playing at a high enough level to draw plenty of interest from contenders.

Vikings general manager Rick Spielman has now freed up money for a serious run at wide receivers Mike Wallace and Greg Jennings. In so doing, he has severely hampered his team's ability to make a run at the playoffs for a second consecutive season.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap100000 ... witter_atl

[dead_poet]

Antoine Winfield had no bonus proration left, so the cut is pure cap savings of $7.25 million.

Tom Pelissero on Twitter