vikings/nfl

Even his play last season was youthful: 110 tackles, 11 for loss, three interceptions, a fumble recovery and 13 passes defended.

He played through pain — emotionally, when his younger brother was murdered in early September and physically when he played the regular season finale and playoff game with a fractured right hand.

By late Tuesday, at least a half-dozen surprised teams had inquired about potentially signing Winfield. The Vikings insist they are leaving their doors open if nothing works out.

But at this point, the source said, Winfield views that rhetoric simply as a way of politely kicking him out the door. It’s far from the exit he envisioned.

He still plans to play in 2013. But as of now it might well be somewhere else.

 

Dan Wiederer • dan.wiederer@startribune.com