Source: Bengals cornerback Trae Waynes suffers pectoral injury

ByBEN BABY
August 11, 2020, 9:29 AM

CINCINNATI -- Bengals cornerback Trae Waynes could be on the mend for a while after suffering a pectoral injury during Monday's practice, a source confirmed to ESPN.

According to a report from NFL Network, Waynes is seeking a second opinion on the injury and could be out for up to two months.

If that timetable is accurate, it will be a big blow for a team that expected Waynes to be a key part of its revamped defense. This offseason, the Bengals signed Waynes to a three-year contract worth $42 million. Waynes, along with the addition of defensive tackle D.J. Reader (four years, $53 million) were marquee deals for the franchise during free agency.

In July, Brian Murphy, Waynes' agent, told Sports Illustrated that he advised Waynes not to do any football drills this offseason while he waited to receive his $15 million signing bonus. According to the report, the Bengals withheld payment until he was able to come into the building in late July with the rest of the team for in-person physicals.

"Obviously, there's no physical activity there, and he'd really want to be in the best shape of [his] life, so he can play the best football of his life," Murphy told the news outlet. "But because of the Bengals' decision, he can't do that."

Waynes, a first-round pick in the 2015 draft, spent his first five seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. Last season, Waynes made 14 starts and tallied one interception, eight pass deflections and two forced fumbles.