*Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer *
Good practice today. I think the guys are focused and excited about the opportunity we have to play. Like I've said before, Green Bay is a very, very good football team. We respect the heck out of them and their organization and everything that they've done, but we're looking forward to the test. Questions?
Q: When you guys signed Linval Joseph, how big of a factor was it for you to get him as your first free agent in order to change this defense?
A: It was just all part of the process really. It was important in this defense, nose tackle. Even though he doesn't get a lot of stats and things, we get a guy in there that can help protect the linebackers and do a lot of the dirty work. And really the scouts did a great job of finding him – George Paton, the pro personnel guys did a great job.
Q: Did you have an idea of what Terence Newman was going to be able to produce when you signed him or has he exceeded your expectations?
A: I have high expectations for Terence. I would say pretty close, pretty close.
Q: How much can experience at cornerback counteract what getting older might take away from you physically?
A: It helps. But you still have to be able to run, you have to be able to get in and out of cuts, you have to be tough. But I think the part it helps is the intelligence helps you to understand routes and splits and things people are trying to do and he's had a lot of experience doing that.
Q: How do you balance playing Terence Newman but also developing Trae Waynes at the same time by giving him some reps?
A: It is a delicate situation because Trae has really improved a lot since he came in here. He's getting better all the time. There'll be times throughout the year that we'll continue to try and get him in games and – knock on wood – corners, they get a little hammies and things like that. It's tough, but Terence deserves to play, he's helping. We'll keep trying to get Trae in there when we can.
Q: Is that a good problem to have? Have you had other guys with Trae Waynes' talent that have come on slowly?
A: Yeah, in Cincinnati [Dre] Kirkpatrick was like that for a couple of years. I know they've got another guy down there now, the guy that played ahead of Trae at Michigan State [Darqueze Dennard], he came out a year earlier. But you've got to have corners in this league because of all of the throwing, so that position is extremely important.
