On Tuesday, Detroit discarded OT Johnny Culbreath, who was replaced with the addition of Jonathan Scott. On Monday, the Lions let go of projected starting cornerback Aaron Berry following his second arrest of the offseason.
And on Wednesday, the team picked up two replacements at cornerback—both ex-Jets—Justin Miller and Drew Coleman.
Photo Credit: NewYorkJets.com
Coleman, 29, comes off one disappointing campaign with the Jacksonville Jaguars (albeit his numbers weren’t too shabby on the stats sheet), registering 46 total tackles, three forced fumbles, two sacks, two interceptions and nine passes defensed in 16 games and four starts.
The 5-9, 180-pound veteran spent his first five seasons (2006-10) with the New York Jets, appearing in 67 contests with nine starts. During that span, he also accumulated 98 total tackles, six forced fumbles, six sacks, two interceptions and 18 passes defensed.
A former second-round selection of Gang Green (2005), Justin Miller, 28, signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Lions prior to the addition of Coleman, Tim Twentyman of the team’s official website reports.
Photo Credit: NewYorkJets.com
Recognized as a very solid returner, Miller earned a Pro Bowl nod following his second season as a return specialist.
In five seasons, Miller has made 98 total tackles and one forced fumble. He’s also racked up 3,966 yards and five scores on 152 kickoff returns, averaging 26.1 yards a pop.
He also returned six punts for nine yards and appeared in 44 games with 12 starts with the Jets (2005-2008) before bouncing to the Oakland Raiders (2008-2009) and back to the Jets (2009) before being cut by the Cardinals during final cuts in 2010.
While they’re not exactly spring chickens, Coleman and Miller will both compete for the top spot in the slot. Moreover, they bring much-needed experience, are expected to stay out of trouble and have proven to be strong on special teams.
Verse of This Piece: “Doing right brings freedom to honest people, but those who are not trustworthy will be caught in their own desires.” —Proverbs 11:6
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