Another piece to the defensive puzzle has been set for the short-term as the Minnesota Vikings have exercised the fifth-year option on Trae Waynes.

Each NFL team is given the option on first round draft picks to exercise a fifth-year in their rookie contracts. This was implemented in the new collective bargaining agreement that was signed by the NFL and NFLPA in 2011. This option gave clubs extra security and also extra incentive on drafting players in the first round.

Waynes will now see his rookie contract expire following the 2019 season. He entered the league as the 11th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft and has appeared in 46 total games. Waynes became a full-time starter for the Vikings at the corner position in 2017 where he ended his year with 57 tackles and two interceptions.

Minnesota will be set to pay Waynes about $9 million for the 2019 season according to Spotrac. That will be a substantial pay increase from his upcoming 2018 salary of $2.2 million.

The Vikings and Waynes will look to sign a new deal within the next year or so, but he's currently situated under his current contract to be with the team through 2019.

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