Hello, Newman!
Our friend Tom Pelissero of USA Today is reporting that the Minnesota Vikings have signed cornerback Terence Newman to a one-year deal worth three million dollars.
Newman was brought in on a one-year contract before last season, and played well enough to secure a starting cornerback spot across from Xavier Rhodes. The oldest player on the Vikings' roster last season, Newman led the team with three interceptions, including a two-interception game against the Oakland Raiders that earned him an NFC Defensive Player of the Week Award.
Though there has been some talk about Newman moving to safety. . .he received one start at the safety spot last season. . .Vikings' General Manager Rick Spielman said prior to free agency that he views Newman as a cornerback. If he wants to start again this year, he's going to have to once again hold off the challenge of Trae Waynes, who looked pretty good given an increased opportunity near the end of last season.
Regardless of who wins the battle between Waynes and Newman, the Vikings should be pretty deep at the cornerback position. Rhodes will be holding down one side, Captain Munnerlyn will (hopefully) continue his renaissance at the slot corner position after a nice bounceback in 2015, and Waynes or Newman will provide solid depth behind the top two starters.
Newman will go into the 2016 season as not only the Vikings' oldest player, but as the second-oldest defender in the National Football League, behind only James Harrison of the Pittsburgh Steelers. In honor of him becoming the NFL's oldest defensive player, the National Football League has fined James Harrison $25,000.*
Welcome back to Minnesota, Terence Newman!
* - There's a non-zero chance that I made that up.