After letting Aaron Berry go, the Detroit Lions signed two new cornerbacks yesterday. First, the Lions picked up Justin Miller and then signed Drew Coleman later in the day. Both Miller and Coleman were inked to one-year deals.
So who are Justin Miller and Drew Coleman and what will their roles be in 2012? While neither of them are expected to make a large impact, below is a little report for both players.
Justin Miller
What should Lions fan expect from Miller this year? Not much, if anything.
Miller played his college ball at Clemson before being drafted in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft. Miller made the biggest impact early in his career with the Jets as a kick returner. 2006 was the best year of his career as he was named to the Pro Bowl and was selected to the All-Pro team as a returner. Since then he hasn’t done much except get charged for punching a woman in a night club. He last played in 2009, where he only appeared in two games with two different teams (Raiders and Jets).
I don’t really understand this signing. For a guy who hasn’t played in the past two years and only two games in 2009, it seems like a wasted roster spot. Maybe to compete for the kick return spot but it seems like either Stefan Logan or Titus Young has that job. Miller will be fighting for a roster spot throughout camp. Oh well, In Mayhew We Trust.
Drew Coleman
Now Lions fans should expect more from Coleman. He likely will be in the mix for a starting cornerback spot.
Coleman was picked in the 6th round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing at TCU. In his rookie season, Coleman played all 17 games for the playoff Jets, playing nickelback and helping out on special teams. 2010 was his best year statistically. That year he compiled 4 sacks, 41 overall tackles, an interception, and forced 5 fumbles. Coleman’s specialty seems to be forcing fumbles as he has eight in his career. Before being released, he played in all 16 games for the Jaguars last year.
As this article from Jacksonville.com talks about, the Jags kept Drew Coleman only at the nickelback position. This seems strange especially as the article points out, that there were a lot of injuries at the cornerback position for Jacksonville. Coleman also expresses that he wished he would have gotten a lot more playing time on the outside.
Personally, I like this pickup. Coleman seems like he has decent talent along with a good amount of experience in the recent years. Also, I’m sure that Coleman is motivated to prove people wrong that he can play on the outside. Whether or not Coleman gets a starting job or not is unsure, but expect him to be a contender for Aaron Berry’s old position.