Multiple media reports indicate the Minnesota Vikings have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with veteran cornerback Terence Newman.
Terence Newman is signing a 1-year deal with the #Vikings, per source. They made the offer last week. He finally accepted.
— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) March 25, 2015
Source tells me Terence Newman has indeed agreed to a one-year deal with #Vikings. Believe it was @DarrenWolfson who had it first.
— Brian Hall (@MNBrianHall) March 25, 2015
Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer and Newman have a long history together. Newman played for Zimmer in Dallas and Cincinnati. According to FOX Sports North, six of Newman’s 12 NFL seasons have come with Zimmer as defensive coordinator.
Earlier in the day, Zimmer told ESPN that a deal was getting close.
“It should get done here pretty quickly,” Zimmer said while speaking at the NFL owners meetings in Arizona.
Newman had 72 tackles and 14 pass deflections with the Bengals last season. He has 37 career interceptions.
“That’s one of my guys,” Zimmer said, as reported by Bengals.com. “I know this kid. I know his heart. I know his toughness. Typically when I’m around him he plays pretty well. We’ll see.”
The Star Tribune notes that Newman was drafted fifth overall by the Cowboys in 2003.
“He came in the league later — I think he was 25 when he came in,” Zimmer said of Newman, who will be 37 by the time the 2015 season begins. “He struggled a little bit in Dallas, but played great in Cincinnati. Last year, he didn’t play quite as good. Seemingly with me, we get things fixed a little bit. I really respect him, and I think he really respects me.”
Newman will be the second Bengals player to agree to terms with the Vikings in free agency. Safety/nickel linebacker Taylor Mays signed on Tuesday.
