Minnesota Vikings: Terence Newman may be done as a starter
By Dan Zinski
The Minnesota Vikings got one good year out of veteran Terence Newman but it’s looking like they won’t get a second.
Is Father Time finally catching up with Terence Newman?
The 38-year-old veteran cornerback is listed as a starter on the Vikings’ first depth chart but in fact he will not start when the team opens their preseason slate this Friday against Cincinnati.
Worse than that, Newman won’t even travel with the team to Cincinnati (per the St. Paul Pioneer-Press).
Newman reportedly has been nursing an undisclosed nagging injury. That injury has kept him out of practice several straight days.
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During Newman’s absence, his heir-apparent Trae Waynes has reportedly been showing great improvement.
The combination of Newman getting banged up and Waynes starting to put it together is bad news for the Vikings’ oldest player but good news for anyone who is eager to see Waynes get on the field and begin making his mark.
If Waynes goes out in the first preseason game and looks really impressive, I see no way Mike Zimmer reverses course and puts Newman back in as the starter.
What possible justification could there be for sitting Waynes if he is ready to play?
Zimmer may be intensely loyal to Terence Newman, and Newman to Zimmer, but loyalty only goes so far.
The best thing for the team long-term is for Waynes to get in there and start earning his stripes. Short-term it might be the best thing as well. Newman is a solid player but Waynes is younger, faster and potentially better.
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It’s never cool when a player loses his spot due to injury but it’s a reality that sometimes must be faced. And that reality I think is currently hitting home for Terence Newman.
Newman of course can still have an important role with the team as a backup/mentor. It’s never a bad thing to have a solid veteran providing depth.
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