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Опубликовано 24 Декабря 2016, 10:10:42
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Vikings have been looking for a tough, play-making defensive back to cover slot receivers ever since they parted ways with beloved veteran Antoine Winfield before last season. Captain Munnerlyn is ready to fill those shoes. The Vikings agreed to terms on a three-year deal with the free agent cornerback on Thursday, continuing the teams aggressive pursuit of defensive help in free agency. Munnerlyn played the first five seasons of his career for the Carolina Panthers, where he returned five of his seven interceptions for touchdowns. "We have a new coaching staff in Minnesota and Im excited to get to work with these guys," Munnerlyn told The Associated Press. After signing a one-year, $1.1 million deal with the Panthers last year, Munnerlyn posted career highs with 74 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks. He also returned both of his interceptions for touchdowns and parlayed that into a deal that could be worth as much as $15 million with the Vikings. Munnerlyn, who will turn 26 next month, has scored four defensive TDs in the last two years. He was a seventh-round draft choice after leaving South Carolina after his junior season, and the 5-foot-8, 165-pound Munnerlyn has been proving that he belongs ever since. "Everybody looks at my size and says, Oh man, he cant play. Hes too short to play outside corner, or hes too short to do this," Munnerlyn said in a conference call later Thursday. "Thats the biggest key with me, man. I was just trying to go out there and prove I can be an every-down corner, that I can make plays and bring toughness to a team." Winfield knows a thing or two about that. The diminutive cornerback spent nine seasons with the Vikings, establishing himself as one of the hardest-hitting defensive backs in the league. Munnerlyn said early in his career his coaches showed him game tape of Winfield. "I kind of stole some of his game and brought it to my game," Munnerlyn said. "I dont hit as hard as he does. He can really bring it when he tackles. But I try to go out there and make the tackles and make plays just like him." The Vikings desperately needed another veteran cornerback to add to a young, thin defensive backfield. After cutting Winfield last summer, the Vikings moved Josh Robinson from outside to the slot cornerback. Robinson struggled mightily in the role and former second-round draft choice Chris Cook proved unreliable and unremarkable on the outside. Cook is a free agent. Munnerlyn said Vikings coaches plan to start him on the outside opposite promising youngster Xavier Rhodes, then move him inside in nickel packages on passing downs. He was a part of the second-ranked defence in the league last season under Ron Rivera. He said he saw similarities to the system new Vikings coach Mike Zimmer will employ in Minnesota. "Hes a gritty, tough player and he can play all over the place -- cornerback, nickel or inside," Saints quarterback Drew Brees said last season. "Hes good in pressure and you can tell hes a headsy, smart player. Anytime you are playing against those guys its kind of like the Ronde Barbers of the world where you know there is a level of intelligence. You want to know where he is on the field." The Vikings wanted to do a longer-term deal with Munnerlyn, but Munnerlyn pressed for a three-year contract to give him one more shot at a big payday. "To get another contract before Im 30, that was the key," Munnerlyn said. "Just to go out here for three years and see if I can win them over a little bit more, get an extension after year two or something. Just try to go out here and make plays and win games." Munnerlyn is the latest big move in a series of them to kick off free agency for the Vikings. They re-signed defensive end Everson Griffen with $20 million in guaranteed money and signed defensive tackle Linval Joseph away from the New York Giants with a five-year deal that could be worth $31.5 million. They also made two smaller deals on Thursday, bringing back reserve defensive tackle Fred Evans and signing former Chargers cornerback Derek Cox to one-year deals. All the moves are aimed at bolstering a defence that was 31st in the league last year. "Im sure with these signings and with these people they (brought) in well ranked in the top 10," Munnerlyn said. Kyle Anderson Spurs Jersey .C. - Alberta prop Andrew Tiedemann will captain Canada against Uruguay on Friday, the opening day of competition at the IRB Americas Rugby Championship. Authentic Dennis Rodman Jersey . Then he got back at the team that released him five days before the start of last season, hitting a tiebreaking double in the ninth inning of the first game at Fenway Park since Boston won the World Series last October. http://www.spursnbateamshop.com/danny-green-spurs-jersey/ . "I wouldnt read anything into what happened Saturday at Torrey Pines," Woods said Tuesday after an 18-hole exhibition for past winners of the Dubai Desert Classic. Tim Duncan Jersey . - The Carolina Panthers believe Steve Smith lost "top-end" speed, a big reason the franchise parted ways with its all-time leading receiver. Dennis Rodman Jersey . CEO Steve Koonin on Tuesday told the Hawks flagship radio station that he made the decision to discipline Ferry but allowed him to keep his job managing the team. He did not say what the punishment was, but noted that he relied on a law firms three-month investigation of Ferry and him describing Deng as someone who has a little African in him. SYDNEY, Australia -- Socceroos coach Holger Osieck has been fired in the wake of Australias 6-0 loss to France in a friendly in Paris on Friday, prompting a search for a replacement just eight months out from the World Cup. Football Federation Australia announced early Saturday that Osiecks contract had been terminated. German-born Osieck was already under pressure after Australias 6-0 loss to Brazil last month and Australian media reported he needed a draw or better on Friday to save his job. In a statement released in Australia on Saturday, chairman Frank Lowy said the decision was "based on the longer term issues of the rejuvenation of the Socceroos team and the preparations for the World Cup and the Asian Cup." "FFA has set a strategic objective of having a highly-competitive team in Brazil and then handing over a team capable of winning the Asian Cup on home soil in January 2015. We have come to the conclusion that change is necessary to meet those objectives," Lowy said. FFA chief executive David Gallop said assistant coach Aurelio Vidmar will act as caretaker coach for Australias match against Canada in London this Tuesday. Gallop said Head of National Performance Luke Casserly and the National Technical Director Han Berger will be charged with finding a new head coach. The most popular appointment with Australian fans would be the return of Guus Hiddink, who guided Australia to a second-round appearance at the 2006 World Cup, losing only to a late goal by eventual champion Italy. The Dutchman has been out of work since leaving Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala in July. Lowy has appointed European coaches under his current reign, but prominent local A-League coaches Ange Postecoglou, Tony Popovic and Graham Arnold are also considered candidates. Fridays crushing defeat at the Parc des Princes -- in which France led 4-0 inside 30 minutes and could well have scored in double figures -- led to an outpouring of anger from fans and former players. Former Australia international Robbie Slater tweeted "worst position wevve ever been in.dddddddddddd Embarrassing! I feel for the young players." The 65-year-old Osieck managed Canada from 1998 to 2003. Most famously he led "Holgers Heroes" to victory in the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup, earning the Canadians a trip to Japan for the Confederations Cup. When he stepped down after a disastrous 2003 Gold Cup, the no-nonsense German coach left with a record of 20-17-9 and Canada ranked 78th in the world. He was appointed Australias national coach in 2010 and guided Australia to its third-straight World Cup. But their form during this years qualifying campaign was often unconvincing and their successive 6-0 defeats ended his three-year term. Asked about his future immediately after Fridays defeat -- and before his firing was confirmed -- Osieck seemed to have accepted he would be removed. "Two heavy losses of that extent gives some food for discussion. The merits of the past are forgotten when this happens." Current Australia midfielder Tim Cahill showed some sympathy for his sacked coach, tweeting "want to say thankyou to Holger for getting us to our third World Cup. Is this a first, to get us to WC and get the sack. Sad day for football in Oz." Osieck, who was an assistant to manager Franz Beckenbauer when Germany won the 1990 World Cup, took over as Australia coach in 2010, shortly after its exit in the group stages of that years World Cup. Its qualification for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil was in jeopardy after a loss to Jordan but it finally sealed its place with an 83rd-minute goal to Josh Kennedy in its final qualifying match, at home to Iraq. Osieck had been widely criticized for sticking with aging players such as Mark Schwarzer, Cahill, Lucas Neill and Mark Bresciano and others of the so-called "Golden Generation" which got Australia to the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. Osiecks removal continued a bad recent run for coach of Australian national teams. Cricket coach Mickey Arthur and rugby coach Robbie Deans had also been removed in the second half of 2013. Wholesale NFL Jerseyscheap nfl jerseys ' ' '
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