DETROIT, MI – SEPTEMBER 13: Justin Coleman #27 of the Detroit Lions. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
Justin Coleman has been placed on IR for the Detroit Lions.
Cornerback was supposed to be a position of strength for the Detroit Lions in 2020, as Jeff Okudah, Desmond Trufant, and Justin Coleman formed a pretty exceptional triad in Matt Patricia’s secondary. It took all of one week for that best-laid plan to go awry, as Okudah and Trufant both picked up hamstring injuries before Coleman was lost for a good chunk of the regular season due to a hamstring injury.
If Patricia isn’t satisfied with Amani Oruwariye and a bunch of flotsam leading his cornerback room, he could look to the free-agent market to replace the stud nickel cornerback. These three names could be perfect replacements if he goes that route.
The Lions should sign one of these three Justin Coleman replacements
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Javien Elliott
CB Carolina Panthers
Elliott hasn’t exactly had the best defensive coaching staffs in his career, as he spent his first three seasons under Dirk Koetter in Tampa Bay before being tutored by Perry Fewell during the 2019 season in Carolina.
Despite that, Elliott was a solid performer on a bad Carolina defense last year, making 38 tackles and recording an interception while serving as the team’s dime cornerback. Patricia might’ve found his slot cornerback band-aid in the former Florida State starter.
With a thin cornerback free agent market impeding Patricia’s choices, a solid slot cornerback that can break up passes in the air while at least holding his own should he end up as a boundary corner might be worth taking a chance on. The alternative is former Jets cornerback Darryl Roberts, and any Jets fan worth their salt knows what an adventure he is in coverage.