VIKINGS: NEWMAN REUNITES WITH ZIMMER

Veteran cornerback Terence Newman will reunite with Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer for the third time in their lengthy NFL careers.
The Vikings on Friday announced that they have agreed to terms on a deal with the 36-year-old who has started 172 of the 174 regular season games he’s played in 12 pro seasons.
Newman, the fifth overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft by Dallas, played his first four seasons with Zimmer as his defensive coordinator. The relationship repeated in Cincinnati in 2012-13 before Zimmer took the Vikings helm on Jan. 15, 2014.
Zimmer, speaking to reporters at the NFC coaches breakfast during the NFL Annual Meeting in Arizona, said Newman “can still play.”
“That’s the biggest thing. He can still play. He came in the league later. I think he was 25 when he came in,” Zimmer said. “He struggled a little bit in Dallas and then played great in Cincinnati. Last year, he didn’t play quite as good, so seemingly with me, we get things fixed a little bit. I really respect him, and I think he really respects me.”
Six days prior to Zimmer’s hire, Newman voiced support for Zimmer receiving his first head coaching gig, tweeting, “That being said, Mike Zimmer is and always will be the best option to be head coach who is not one. #truth”
In his first four years, Newman recorded 12 interceptions, 54 pass breakups, three forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and his two career sacks. Newman has had double-digit pass breakups each season and recorded 14 in each of his three in Cincinnati.

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He garnered selection to the Pro Bowl after the 2007 and 2009 seasons, helping Dallas go 13-3 and 11-5, respectively. Newman had career highs of 21 pass breakups and three forced fumbles in 2009 in helping the Cowboys reaching the Divisional Round of the NFC Playoffs in which they lost to the Vikings.
Newman has 786 career tackles (622 solo), 37 interceptions and 169 pass breakups, and will be able to provide experience to a young position group. Captain Munnerlyn is the only defensive back on the roster with six or more years of experience.
Earlier this week, the Vikings announced they have agreed to terms with former Bengals safety Taylor Mays and former Eagles linebacker Casey Matthews. Zimmer coached Mays for three seasons in Cincinnati and first met Matthews at the 2011 Senior Bowl when the Bengals staff coached the North squad.