Image courtesy of Vikings.com
Speaking with Paul Allen and Paul Charchian on KFAN radio Thursday, Minnesota Vikings cornerback Terence Newman said that he plans to return for his 16th NFL season. When asked if he wants to play for the Vikings and head coach Mike Zimmer in 2018, Newman didn’t pause.
“Of course,” Newman answered. “I want to play [next season], because we made it to an NFC Championship. We fell short. We fell way short… I want to be able to have an opportunity to win a ring. It’s that simple.”
“What if the Browns [offer] $10 million a year for Terence Newman?” Allen inquired.
“Money is not an objective,” Newman responded. “I do this because I love this game. I’ve played this game since I was a little kid and we’ve played this game in the street and playgrounds and when you were playing then, you never worried about money, you know? It was just about, ‘Hey, I want to score a touchdown,’ or ‘Hey, I want to get an interception.’ I get to play this game and I get paid. There’s no better job in America for me. I get to do what I love. I get to be with a bunch of guys I respect and I have nothing but love for, and they pay you for this. If it was Cleveland, I don’t care. I love this game still. So, when I don’t love this game anymore I’ll walk away.”
Newman, 39, was a first-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2003. He spent nine years in Dallas before being released in 2012. Newman signed with Cincinnati as a free agent and was a Bengal for three seasons. He then reunited with Zimmer (the defensive coordinator for most of his time in Dallas and Cincinnati) when he signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2015.
He’s been a Viking for three seasons. In 2017, Newman recorded 35 tackles, one interception and five passes defended. In 221 career games, Newman has collected 42 interceptions, 748 tackles and three interceptions for touchdowns. He has intercepted at least one pass in every one of his 15 NFL seasons.
Newman earned a 82.1 grade from Pro Football Focus for his play in the regular season, ranking him 37th out of 121 cornerbacks.
According to Football Outsiders Newman played 56.1% of the Vikings defensive snaps in 2017, fifth-most among the team’s defensive backs. Mackensie Alexander, who’s considered to be Newman’s eventual replacement, played 32.4% of snaps.
Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, Mackensie Alexander and Horace Richardson (futures deal) are under contract for the Vikings in 2018. Newman, who made $3.584 million in 2017, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
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Yes Terance Newman one more year the best.
As long as we don't see a repeat of his performance in the NFC Championship Game I'm all for his return
Red red wine make me feel so fine...
On a related note, we should try Wayne's at Safety!!!!
He's fast, with speed to close, but is not a quick athlete. Safety would get him out of covering quick cut WRs, could utilize his straight line speed for closing on plays down the field. Also, he had good height and can tackle. He's just not physically suited to covering one on one the quickest players hesh lining up against.
SKOL!!!
You think so? I thought he did a fine job utilizing his speed to break up deep passes and started to develop into a solid #2 corner. I would think Newman could be a better fit at safety
Excellent news! I hope Spielman signs him up.
This means that Tramaine Brock is more likely to go, especially with the NFL having closed it's investigation of his arrest for alleged domestic abuse for the same lack of evidence that got the charges dropped. Yes, Brock had a forgettable year, but so have a bunch of other veterans in their first year with the team, and Spielman and Zimmer did trade a draft pick for him. With no legal or league discipline hanging over his head and a solid PFF score in the mid-70's, if I remember correctly, in 2016, he should be in the sights of teams looking for an experienced CB2 or CB3, which is more than we can afford with Waynes' and Alexander's development coming along more nicely than not.
The Vikings have one of the best cornerback groups in the NFL. Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, Mackensie Alexander. Bringing back Terence Newman will continue to help the development of Waynes and Alexander along with a possible draft pick or two.
A definite draft pick or two, I hope. The bench behind Rhodes, Waynes and Alexander is decidedly lacking in young talent - one guy with a futures contract, I think - and I'd go fishing on both Day 2 and Day 3 of the draft for cornerbacks, even with Newman or some other veteran on the roster.