The Minnesota Vikings come into Saturday’s NFC Divisional Playoff game with the San Francisco 49ers banged up and while most of the talk has been around Adam Thielen’s ankle, the secondary is also in crisis mode after losing Mike Hughes and Mackensie Alexander to injured reserve in the past week.
With the Vikings running thin on bodies in the secondary, they called upon an old friend in Terence Newman. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted on Saturday morning that the Vikings have worked out the 41-year-old and even considered signing him over promoting one of their players on the practice squad.
With CBs Mackensie Alexander and Mike Hughes on IR, the Vikings worked out their former nickel/CB coach and player, Terence Newman, league sources tell @FieldYates and me. Newman is 41, but the team considered signing him before promoting a cornerback from its practice squad.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 11, 2020
Newman last played for the Vikings in 2017 and was a solid nickel corner for a team that went to the NFC Championship Game. He recorded 35 total tackles and had an interception during that campaign, but opted to retire and become a secondary coach at the end of training camp in 2018. Newman left that post last offseason and has been fully retired until the Vikings gave him a call this week.
The need to call a player that hasn’t been on the field in two years is a major concern for the Vikings who had to use Andrew Sendejo in the nickel spot in last week’s victory over New Orleans. With Jayron Kearse ruled out with toe and knee injuries, the Vikings promoted Nate Meadors from the practice squad for Saturday’s game.
However, it shows the tall task they have going up against a 49ers team that ranked fourth in total offense this season.
