New Bengals DB Terence Newman ready to contend for title

Veteran defensive back Terence Newman thinks the Cincinnati Bengals are ready to help him go after a Super Bowl title.

"I want the ring," Newman told the team's official website. "That's all that matters right now."

Newman signed with Cincinnati as a free agent this week after spending nine seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.

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Newman said the Bengals have "a good line and linebackers. They're a playoff team. They can help me and I can help them."

The Cowboys, who made Newman the fifth overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, have gone to the playoffs four times since then, but didn't get close to the title game. The team hasn't made the playoffs since 2009.

The Bengals, meanwhile, made three postseason appearances during that period, losing in the wild-card round each time. They made two playoff appearances in the last three seasons, including the 2011 season.

Newman, who will turn 34 in September, started 14 games for the Cowboys in 2011 but recorded just 53 tackles after notching 77 in 2010. He told the Bengals' website that he tried to do too much last season after injuring his hamstring.

"I'm a rockhead about some things, and I tried to play through it," he said. "I wanted to be there for my teammates and I ended up probably hurting them."