3 Reasons why the Vikings must Resign Antoine Winfield

The six year contract that he originally signed will end after the 2009 season. He had been negotiating a new contract that would ensure he retires as a Viking, but those talks have recently come to a halt.

Although he may not be the type of DB who shows up on the stat sheets with many interceptions, he has become a very valuable player for the Vikings. Here are three reasons why resigning Winfield should be at the top of the Vikings priority list.

1. He is an excellent tackler; there are not many players who can get by him.

Anyone who watches the Vikings will tell you that Winfield has made tackles on plays that could have produced a first down, if not more. His 95 tackles in 2008 lead all cornerbacks and 81 of those were solo. He has proven to be very reliable when it comes to taking down a ball carrier in the open field.

2. Winfield’s small size can be deceiving, but he is as physical a cornerback as they come.

Listed at a mere 5'9'' 180 pounds, he can match up with any wide receiver and has become the Vikings shut-down corner. Winfield never shies away from a hit and he knows how to keep his body in position to defend a pass. This is why opposing quarterbacks rarely throw to his side of the field.

3. The most important reason why Minnesota must make sure Winfield retires as a Viking is because the fans want him to.

He has been a fan favorite since coming to Minnesota; it is hard not to like the way he plays the game. Just having a guy like that on the roster can make a team better.

Undoubtedly, a lot of people would be grumbling if Winfield were to play for someone else. The 2009 offseason saw the departure of long time Viking Matt Birk; it would not look good for the organization if they lost another experienced veteran player.

The Vikings may feel that resigning Winfield can be accomplished sometime in the future, but they should be cautious.

Even at 31 any team would love to have him as a player. Letting him become a free agent would be a risky move; hopefully, the Vikings will do what they need to do in order to keep Winfield where he belongs.