Tajae Sharpe‘s brief stint with the Vikings has come to an end. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Minnesota has waived the wide receiver. The team also announced that tight end Hale Hentges has been activated from the exempt list.
Sharpe joined the Vikings on a one-year, $1MM pact this past offseason. There was some optimism that the 25-year-old could establish himself as one of Kirk Cousins‘ top targets, especially following the Stefon Diggs trade. Instead, Sharpe was active for only four games, and he didn’t haul in any of his three targets. He played 28 offensive snaps, and he never appeared in more than 17 percent of his team’s offensive snaps during any of his four games.
Still, Sharpe could generate some interest on the waiver wire. The 2016 fifth-round pick out of UMass spent the first four years of his career with the Titans, including a rookie campaign where he hauled in 41 receptions for 522 yards. A foot injury sidelined Sharpe for the entire 2017 campaign, and he’s compiled 51 receptions for 645 receiving yards and six touchdowns since that time.
Hentges, 24, was signed off the Colts practice squad last week, and his required quarantine earned him a spot on the exempt list. The Alabama product saw time in 11 games (four starts) last season for Washington, hauling in eight receptions for 103 yards and one touchdown.
Ok that’s fine but why is Dan Bailey still on the team? Lt. Dan would have had just as much success as Bailey did yesterday.
Because they probably can’t find anyone categorically better. My guess is that Zimmer wants to cut Bailey-badly-but also realizes that there really aren’t any proven kickers floating around right now. If I had to guess, he’s gritting his teeth and giving his special teams one week to get it straight-and also monitoring the waiver wire pretty heavily. I expected him gone after this last game, one that they should have won.
I wonder if they were just waiting on a claim for McLaughlin but the jets beat them to it, so I wonder if Chandler Catanzaro will get a look now?
I was thinking the exact same. Catanzaro has to get a look, right? Unless you decide that your former stud kicker struggling is simply better than a new guy who recently struggled?
I’d be surprised if Zimmer didn’t at least look at Catanzaro.
Boat is sinking fast. Why bother cutting Baily….If they cut everyone who fails at their job the offensive line would all be looking for work. Payroll/CAP is a problem , they ain’t a playoff team….tank and get a better draft spot. BARELY beating the Jags and losing to the Cowboys clearly indicates they have no business in the playoffs.
People have been calling for Cousins to be ousted, but he showed up in a big way last game. The line did not offer any help, and Bailey missing all of his kicks did the Vikings in (along with three-at least two-really bad officiating calls). I’m not a Vikings fan, but I’d be really ticked at getting that effort from my quarterback, rookie receiver, and injured running back and still lose due to the missed points from kicks-and pressure given up by a bad line.
At this point I’d take anyone in place of Bailey…including Sarah Fuller! It’s time for SOMEONE in the front office to grow a pair and cut Mr. Two Left Feet!!