EAGAN, Minn. — Trae Waynes is back for another season with the Vikings.
Minnesota announced Monday that it has re-signed the veteran cornerback, who has spent the previous three seasons in Purple with Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer.
The duo's relationship goes back to 2003, when Newman was the fifth overall pick in the NFL Draft by the Cowboys and Zimmer was the defensive coordinator in Dallas.
Newman has played under Zimmer for nine of his 15 pro seasons in Dallas, Cincinnati and Minnesota. The 39-year-old will now prepare for his 16th NFL season as he joins the Vikings for voluntary offseason workouts.
The Kansas native is second among all active players with 42 career interceptions, one behind DeAngelo Hall, who is currently not on a roster but has not officially retired.
Newman has five interceptions in three seasons with the Vikings, and has registered at least one pick each year.
He ranks 10th among active players with 221 career games, and has brought a wealth of knowledge and guidance to other players in Minnesota's secondary. That could now include Mike Hughes, a cornerback drafted 30th overall last week by the Vikings.
Fellow defensive backs Harrison Smith and Mackensie Alexander have both **raved about Newman’s leadership**, as he has been a team captain in recent years.
Smith hosted a dodgeball game this past November for members of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Twin Cities and spoke about mentorship.
As he did, the Vikings safety mentioned the impact Newman has had on him.
"Terence would be an example of a guy now," Smith said. "He's a peer, but he's also been there, done that. He shows us things every week."
And Alexander said Newman has helped him learn the ins and outs of watching film and studying the pro game.
"Terence is a guy that's always been behind me, always been pushing me, always been talking to me throughout everything that's going on," Alexander told Vikings.com in December. "Sometimes you look at him and it's like, 'Man.' He makes some plays that it's like, '[Dang], he knew that was coming.' Or, 'How did he know that was coming?' Things like that. That's Terence, man. Terence is Terence."
Newman's influence isn't just limited to defensive players, however. He was locker neighbors with Vikings running back Dalvin Cook this past season at Winter Park.
"He has conversations with me every day, just about ball, about everything," Cook said. "He's been in the league 15 years now."
Newman, who turns 40 in September, is slated to be the oldest active defensive player in the NFL. Former Steelers linebacker James Harrison, four months Newman's elder, held the distinction in 2017 but recently retired.
