The saying goes that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but an old corner may be a different story.
Terence Newman is heading into his 16th season and he has been taking reps at safety during minicamp this week. It’s not a totally new experience for Newman as he started a game at safety in 2015 when the Vikings were short on bodies and defensive coordinator George Edwards said Wednesday that the veteran has done a good job.
“That way, you’ve got to have that versatility in that room, that if somebody gets injured or something like that, the next guy’s gotta be up,” Edwards said, via the team’s website. “And he’s [a great example], especially for the young guys -- ‘Hey, the more that you can do, the longer you’re going to be able to stick around and help us win football games.’”
The Vikings have had a need for a body at safety as Andrew Sendejo has been out with an undisclosed injury and Newman got into the spirit by wearing Sendejo’s No. 34 on the practice field. If he and Harrison Smith stay healthy in the regular season, Newman’s reps at safety may not come into play directly but all that experience will factor into Minnesota’s defense one way or another.