The Vikings haven’t been super active over the years in free agency, except for the signing of Kirk Cousins.
The jury is still out on that signing.
ESPN’s Courtney Cronin lists Minnesota’s best signing since 2015 to be veteran cornerback Terence Newman.
Here’s what Cronin wrote about the signing:
Few players know the ins and outs of Mike Zimmer’s defense better than Newman, who followed the Vikings’ head coach from Dallas to Cincinnati before signing with Minnesota as a free agent in March 2015. Newman spent his first two seasons as an outside corner before moving inside, where he gave the Vikings stability at the nickel position. Newman’s impact on the defense cannot be overstated. In addition to performing at a high level as he neared 40 years old, the cornerback took younger players such as Mackensie Alexander and Holton Hill under his wing and helped groom them.
Newman was solid on the field, but he was probably more valuable off the field for this team. He played with the team from 2015-2017. After his playing career, Newman served as an assistant coach on Zimmer’s staff.