Last week, I took a look at what the Vikings had to do to stop the red hot Dallas offense, and for the most part, they did. I’m pretty sure they even dressed Jamarca Sandford and Antoine Winfield in Maddieu Williams and Tyrell Johnson jerseys, which

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield was added to the NFC Pro Bowl roster on Tuesday.

Pro Bowl cornerback Antoine Winfield returned from a foot injury Sunday, but rookie kick returner/wide receiver Percy Harvin was inactive for the Minnesota Vikings’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield is inactive for his fourth consecutive game Sunday, against the Seattle Seahawks.

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield says his injured right foot still isn’t quite ready and he will not play against Detroit on Sunday.

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield has left Sunday’s game with an apparent injury to his right foot.

Many voiced their concerns as the Vikings and veteran cornerback Antoine Winfield reached an impasse with contract talks. Understandably so. But after a look at the big picture, it’s not the least bit surprising.
After the whole deal with six-time Pro Bowl center Matt Birk and veteran safety Darren Sharper, it’s pretty clear the Minnesota Vikings are not letting 2008 Pro Bowl cornerback Antoine Winfield get away.
So what’s taking them? Why would there be an impasse if Antoine wants to stay and the Vikings want him back?
Easy. The name that has tortured Minnesota fans since the thought came that he would come out of retirement to play for the purple: Brett Favre.
Obviously, the Vikings have enough cap space—at the moment—to sign Favre to a contract. Now try and add in a contract extension which includes guarantees to Antoine Winfield into the mix and it begins to look foggy.
It’s doesn’t add up to well as far as salary cap is concerned considering Minnesota is known for keeping a few million under the cap for a ”security blanket” for a possible midseason pick up or two.
Coming off a career year with 95 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles (both recovered by him, one returned for a touchdown) and blocked kick recovery returned for a touchdown, Antoine is considered one the top cornerbacks in the league.
Especially with the departure of Darren Sharper, the Vikings almost need Winfield’s veteran leadership to balance a young secondary.
Minnesota’s Tampa Two defense thrives with a cornerback like Antoine in the mix with speed and physical hitting and not to mention the 11th-year corner hasn’t lost a step. In complete fairness, he is the one vet left on the defense since arriving in Minnesota in 2004.
During a press conference on Thursday this past week, Brad Childress announced that he “wasn’t worried that no plan was made yet.” And understandably so. Until the Brett Favre scenario settles, there is no reason to worry. 
Childress also admitted that he would have liked to “have that deal done yesterday” but acknowledged the back-and-forth nature of such negotiations. It seems however, that the Vikings want to know how much it’ll take to get Favre before they commit dimes and quarters to Winfield.
It’s unclear, however, how much Brett would want for a one or two year deal with the purple (assuming he signs). Word has it he could want as low as $3 million to as high as $10 million. With Favre, you could never tell.
If he makes it to week one with no extension in sight, that’s when red flags should be flying. With the Favre situation at the point long since over, the Vikings should have no considerable obstacles to signing Winfield to career-ending contract in Minnesota.
Antoine is set to become free agent after the 2009-2010 season. He’s a one time Pro Bowler with 20 career interceptions and three career sacks in his 10 years in the NFL.

We Vikings’ fans are always trying to stay optimistic. Every season, we watch our team fail at the worst possible time, yet we remain loyal to our beloved Purple and Gold. No matter how much we hate our coach and/or playcalling, we are always glued to our TV’s when the Vikings are on.
We watch just because we know that Peterson will do something amazing at one point or another. We watch to see Jared Allen’s calf-roping celebration. We watch Cedric Griffin or Antoine Winfield absolutely destroy the opposition.
While year after year we are disappointed, it has not crushed our belief in our team.
It’s dedicated fans like the ones here on Bleacher Report that keeps my engine running during the offseason. We bind together as a team to bring the latest news and deepest insight to some of the NFL’s best players. Here’s to you Vikings’ fans!
 
M Holly
You won’t see a Brett Favre article published without M Holly responding to it in some way or form. I swear, since Brett “retired” last season, M Holly has been saying that Favre will play at least one season donning the Purple and Gold. As funny as it may have sounded a year ago, he’ll likely get his wish.
He is the ultimate expert on Brett Favre. He is one of the few that believes Brett still has it in him to play the game. Never will he shy away from an argument against an “Anti-Favre.” He greets them head on and usually wins.
A couple of weeks ago, there was a poll on ESPN that stated something to the effect, “Does Brett Favre have the ability to lead the Vikings?” It turns out that every state but Minnesota answered “No” to the question.
My first thought was, “M Holly much have logged on and off of his computer just to vote “Yes” 5,000 times to prove to the world Brett’s not washed up.
Thank you M Holly for your dedicated support to the Vikings’ B/R community and Brett Favre’s possible return to the NFL!
 
Mitchell Timp
When he first arrived here on B/R, he was publishing articles at an astronomical rate. They were always very insightful and offered only the best wishes to the Minnesota Vikings.
He doesn’t seem to have many enemies here. He doesn’t argue with people and gets along with everyone. He always has some encouraging words for his fellow Vikings’ writers.
His favorite player, Adrian Peterson, is the center of his discussions. I don’t know if he’ll be able to live without Peterson on the Vikings’ roster! Mitchell may be young, but he’s perhaps seeing one of the best running backs of all time tear his way through the record books.
Thank you Mitchell. You keep it real and never shy away from your beliefs! You could have a career in the business when you turn to college.
 
Greg McKnight
If you want some honest opinion on your article, he’s your man. He’s not afraid to tell you how he feels on a subject and offers some of the best wisdom of any writer here on Bleacher Report.
His profile says it all. He believes in the Vikings, but they need an overhaul on some aspects of the team (coaches). He couldn’t be more right. His views are extremely valuable to the Bleacher Report community.
Greg has helped me become a better writer here on Bleacher Report. His comments are usually lengthy and offer guidance that cannot be taken away. His profile picture is also f’ing sweet!
Thank you Greg! You’ve helped shape many writers on the Vikings’ Bleacher Report including this one.
 
Brandon Erickson
Brandon has been a part of the Vikings’ community for a while. I thought he took a break from the community about two weeks ago, but came out of the blue and has offered some great insight.
Brandon is loyal to the Vikings as well as the Twins, who actually haven’t fared too well the last couple weeks but that’s neither here nor there.
He loves to throw in those five word comments that make other writers chuckle a little. He brings life to a community that definitely has its ups and downs. His strong faith keeps us going.
With a major in Theology (good luck!), he’s got a lot on his plate but still has time to write about what he loves most, his Vikings.
Thank you Brandon! You are a very talented writer who should be granted the opportunity to cover your team first hand!
Tanner Thoms
What can we say about the Vikings’ community leader that we already don’t know? He’s usually the first to report breaking news and always seems to be by his computer. Don’t you ever go to school Tanner? Just kidding.
If you read his articles before knowing his age, you would think it’s written by a college student. In fact, the guy’s only 15! It’s remarkable reading his articles and knowing he’s still so young. His knowledge of the current Vikings is quite vast.
If you take this kid head on in an argument, you’ll likely lose. He’s very stuck to his ideas which usually turn out to be right.
Thanks Tanner! You’re a very good writer. I have faith that you can become a great journalist one day. Keep up the good work.
 
Jordan Feldick
Not only does he know a ton about the Vikings, but Jordan can be found commenting on any football article here on Bleacher Report. He’s a lifetime hater of the Packers and Bears who’ll likely go to his grave with a note in hand that reads, “bite me Green Bay and Chicago.”
His articles are always great and always spot on. His ideas are ALWAYS dead on with this writer. We don’t seem to disagree on much. Maybe he’s my twin brother that I am unaware of! How creepy would that be, huh?
The guy tells it how he sees it. Jordan does a remarkable job of laying down the rules for others to follow.
So thank you my brother (no, we’re not related that I know of)! May you always follow in the words, “SHAPOOPY! SHAPOOPY!”
 
Andy Smith
He’s been apart of Bleacher Report for a while. He never seems to say anything negative and always gives props when they’re due. His optimism of the Vikings will always cherished.
He’s definitely one of the more underrated writers here on Bleacher Report. His works are considered to be a masterpiece in my book. I’m constantly checking to see if he has another article out. Bottom line, he’s a great writer. I hope he can get a job somewhere doing this.
The guy is always positive and looking at the brighter things in life. There’s no doubt in my minds that if he puts his mind to something, he can conquer it.
Thanks Andy! Your contributions have made a huge impact to the Vikings’ community. I hope you’ll continue writing and pumping out some great articles!
 
Eric Haigh
The last Vikings’ writer I’ll be mentioning today has really started to come on the last few weeks. He’s pumping out 600+ read articles by the hour and hasn’t showed any signs of slowing down. He’s pursuing a sport’s management career, but I think he could have a great opportunity to do sport’s journalism instead.
Eric is always willing to lend a hand to one of my articles or backing me up on another comment. For that, I am grateful. His insight has really helped me to become better. He has worked first hand in the Vikings’ media world on the radio, something I can only dream of doing at a larger scale.
So thanks Eric. Not only have you demanded to keep your dreams alive, you’ve helped to shape me as a writer here.
 
Thank you to all Vikings’ fans who have kept me writing for this site. I know I’ve missed a few names, but know that you’re contributions are valuable to the community as well. You’ve definitely made me a far better writer and have opened my eyes to the Vikings’ world.
Your constant contributions make this one of the best journalism sites I’ve been apart of. Thank you all and God bless!

The Minnesota Vikings and Antoine Winfield are no longer talking about a new contract, according to the Pro Bowl cornerback’s agent.