3 Draft Picks the Vikings Gave up on Way Too Early

The Minnesota Vikings have drafted legends like Adrian Peterson and Randy Moss, so it's clear they know how to evaluate talent and keep it around. However, the Vikes have let a few players get away and their misses are pretty significant.

What's crazy is that Stefon Diggs didn't even make the cut here. Rather, it's these three players were given up on way too early by Minnesota.

3. Trae Waynes

Trae Waynes signed with the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason. / Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

Waynes was selected No. 11 overall back in 2015, which makes this draft class even more upsetting for Vikings fans. Sure, they still have Danielle Hunter and Eric Kendricks, but Waynes and Diggs are now gone. The Vikes let Waynes walk to the Bengals in free agency despite desperately needing a cornerback for the 2020 season after Xavier Rhodes' epic downward spiral, and they traded Diggs to the Buffalo Bills. This was pretty much a move to help overpay Kirk Cousins even more. Doing so to let a starting corner to leave in his prime years is not a good look.

2. Teddy Bridgewater

Carolina Panthers QB Teddy Bridgewater / Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Yes, yes, this situation had some extenuating circumstances. Bridgewater suffered a career-altering leg injury that limited him to just one game across the 2016 and 2017 seasons, and the Vikings managed to make do with Case Keenum and then sign Cousins. But giving up on Bridgewater, who could have been a much cheaper quarterback option going forward, can surely be viewed as a mistake in hindsight. He filled in admirably as Drew Brees' backup in New Orleans and landed a three-year, $60 million contract with the Panthers this offseason. It's hard to be patient in today's NFL, but many would argue it could've paid off here.

1. Nate Burleson

Former Minnesota Vikings WR Nate Burleson / Mark Brettingen/Getty Images

Yup, this could be another odd case, but when you draft a guy who plays only three seasons with you only to watch him go on to play another 91 games, that can be considered jumping the gun. Burleson was in Minnesota from 2003-2005 before departing for Seattle and then finishing out his career in Detroit. His best individual season came with the Vikes in 2004, but he could have been a consistent contributor for the team considering he averaged 42 yards per game and found the end zone 27 times across eight seasons away from Minnesota. Nothing groundbreaking, but certainly a receiver who could have helped out some good Vikings offenses.