CINCINNATI -- Bengals cornerback Trae Waynes could be on the mend for a while after suffering a pectoral injury earlier this week, coach Zac Taylor said.
"I don't want to get into too many details right now," Taylor said during a news conference on Tuesday. "It's unfortunate. He was working hard for us. Again, these things happen. It's nobody's fault. We just move on, get him healthy and back on the field."
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 and 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.
During Tuesday's conference call, Taylor also referenced the impending acquisition of defensive tackle Mike Daniels, who worked out with Cincinnati this weekend. Taylor said he doesn't anticipate Daniels will be officially added on Tuesday but expects it to happen soon. Taylor also declined to comment specifically on Daniels until he signed his contract.
