Cornerback Terence Newman Officially Agreed To Terms With The Cincinnati Bengals

According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, the Cincinnati Bengals have agreed to terms with veteran cornerback Terence Newman. The deal is for one season. The nine-year veteran, entering his tenth season in the NFL, has spent his entire NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys (four with Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer) who selected him fifth overall during the 2003 NFL draft.

According to Pro Football Focus, Newman allowed three touchdowns, but picked off four passes for a passer rating of 88.5 in 2011. It was the first year he had more interceptions than touchdowns allowed since 2008.

Cincinnati has yet to announce the signing, but that's typical until the player's name is actually on the contract's dotted line.

The move gives Cincinnati seven cornerbacks signed for 2012, starting with Leon Hall, Nate Clements, Jason Allen and Adam Jones with Brandon Ghee and Rico Murray rounding out the position.

Despite this we still don't see the team avoiding cornerback in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft; not with the long-term talent available to them compared to the short-term deals this offseason.

Along with Leon Hall's recovery from a season-ending Achilles injury from last season, the Bengals have a collection of one-year deals (or contracts expiring after this season) that would leave the position in "need" next year anyway. And next year the team could be facing a linebacker exodus with the amount of players entering their final year under contract this season.

Either way, good signing for the Bengals to keep strengthening the secondary.