Coleman could face Suspension
Sources: Safety violated NFL's substance-abuse policy, could sit 4 games
02:21 AM CDT on Tuesday, August 22, 2006
By JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News
SHREVEPORT, La. – Safety Marcus Coleman, who was supposed to have an important role in the Cowboys' secondary, has violated the league's substance-abuse policy, several club sources said Monday.
The sources said Coleman, a 10-year veteran, could face a four-game suspension.
"I don't know," Coleman said after the game. "I can't say anything about that."
Citing league policy, he declined further comment.
Jimmy Sexton, Coleman's agent, and NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said they were unaware Coleman had violated the league's substance-abuse policy.
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Coleman, who played in the second half of the Cowboys' 30-7 win over New Orleans, signed a one-year deal worth $750,000. He was also scheduled to receive a $40,000 roster bonus if he was with the club the first week of the season, which would've also guaranteed his salary for the rest of the season.
Now, all of that is in limbo.
The Cowboys signed Coleman, a Lake Highlands graduate, in the off-season to compete with Keith Davis for the starting free safety job. Dallas viewed Coleman, who began his career as a cornerback with the New York Jets under Bill Parcells, as the perfect ballhawk to complement hard-hitting safety Roy Williams.
Coleman has 25 career interceptions.
Davis, an excellent special teams performer, started 15 games last season but generated only one turnover – a fumble the Cowboys recovered in Week 2.
The Cowboys drafted 6-5, 211-pound free safety Pat Watkins in the fifth round, and he has been one of the surprises of training camp.
Watkins has impressed the coaching staff with his range and instincts and is competing for the starting job. He started against New Orleans, in part, because the coaching staff wanted to see if he could handle the adjustments he must make. A free safety is responsible for making changes in the coverage based on the offense's formation.
"We're just trying to evaluate him," owner Jerry Jones said, "and give him the best evaluation we can against their best players."
Coleman, who spent the last four seasons with Houston, played sparingly the last month of the 2005 season after missing a walk-through practice the day before a game against Baltimore.
He was deactivated for that game.
At the time, coach Dom Capers said, "He had repeated violations before that one, but this is a one-time thing," Capers told the Houston Chronicle. "That's why this is a deactivation, not a suspension."
In 2003, Coleman was suspended for a game for violating team rules
Staff Writer Todd Archer contributed to this report.
02:21 AM CDT on Tuesday, August 22, 2006
By JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News
SHREVEPORT, La. – Safety Marcus Coleman, who was supposed to have an important role in the Cowboys' secondary, has violated the league's substance-abuse policy, several club sources said Monday.
The sources said Coleman, a 10-year veteran, could face a four-game suspension.
"I don't know," Coleman said after the game. "I can't say anything about that."
Citing league policy, he declined further comment.
Jimmy Sexton, Coleman's agent, and NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said they were unaware Coleman had violated the league's substance-abuse policy.
Cowboys 30, Saints 7
Matt Mosley's Cowboys blog
Photos | Summary
Win is a leap forward
Coleman could face suspension
Cowlishaw: Message received
Receivers get chance to impress
Notebook: T.O. stays in Dallas
Mind Reader: Drew Bledsoe
More Cowboys
Rick Gosselin's NFL blog
Coleman, who played in the second half of the Cowboys' 30-7 win over New Orleans, signed a one-year deal worth $750,000. He was also scheduled to receive a $40,000 roster bonus if he was with the club the first week of the season, which would've also guaranteed his salary for the rest of the season.
Now, all of that is in limbo.
The Cowboys signed Coleman, a Lake Highlands graduate, in the off-season to compete with Keith Davis for the starting free safety job. Dallas viewed Coleman, who began his career as a cornerback with the New York Jets under Bill Parcells, as the perfect ballhawk to complement hard-hitting safety Roy Williams.
Coleman has 25 career interceptions.
Davis, an excellent special teams performer, started 15 games last season but generated only one turnover – a fumble the Cowboys recovered in Week 2.
The Cowboys drafted 6-5, 211-pound free safety Pat Watkins in the fifth round, and he has been one of the surprises of training camp.
Watkins has impressed the coaching staff with his range and instincts and is competing for the starting job. He started against New Orleans, in part, because the coaching staff wanted to see if he could handle the adjustments he must make. A free safety is responsible for making changes in the coverage based on the offense's formation.
"We're just trying to evaluate him," owner Jerry Jones said, "and give him the best evaluation we can against their best players."
Coleman, who spent the last four seasons with Houston, played sparingly the last month of the 2005 season after missing a walk-through practice the day before a game against Baltimore.
He was deactivated for that game.
At the time, coach Dom Capers said, "He had repeated violations before that one, but this is a one-time thing," Capers told the Houston Chronicle. "That's why this is a deactivation, not a suspension."
In 2003, Coleman was suspended for a game for violating team rules
Staff Writer Todd Archer contributed to this report.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:49 AM
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