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S Kurt Coleman (All B1G, All-American)

Before this week, Coleman was probably on the fence for making the team. Additionally, he wouldn't have made it to the Eagles practice squad. However, with starting free safety Marlin Jackson rupturing his Achilles tendon at this week's OTAs, Coleman has a chance to make the 53-man roster. Not only can he be on the opening day roster, he can contribute on special teams.

Still, he must prove himself in the eyes of the coaching staff and battle it out against Quintin Mikell, Quintin Demps, Nate Allen and Macho Harris. Nevertheless, the Eagles have said they want Harris to move back to his natural cornerback position, so Coleman has a decent shot winning a backup role.

The Eagles were lucky that Coleman managed to slip to them in the seventh-round. He has too much talent and leadership skills [a captain for the Buckeyes] not to make a NFL roster and stick. Do not be surprised if Coleman finds his way on to the Eagles roster and down the road he eventually replaces Mikell at strong safety. Remember Mikell is on the last year of his contract and is about to turn 30.

Eagles Sign 7th-Round Safety Coleman
 
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I don't understand. They guys starts out saying that Kurt probably wouldn't have made the team without Marlin Jackson's injury, then he finishes saying they were lucky that he slipped that low because he is too well rounded NOT to make an NFL roster.
wtf-cat.jpg
 
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Paul Domowitch: NFL rule puts some rookies behind the 8-ball
POSTED: June 8, 2010
By Paul Domowitch
Daily News Sports Columnist

AS A SEVENTH-ROUND pick in the April draft, safety Kurt Coleman already is facing an uphill battle to win a roster job with the Eagles. Thanks to the NFL, that hill already is a lot steeper for the Ohio State product than it needs to be.

While the rest of the Eagles' rookies have spent the better part of the last month camped at the NovaCare Complex trying to familiarize themselves with the team's voluminous offensive and defensive playbooks, Coleman has been forbidden from entering the premises.

He is the victim of a stupid league rule that prohibits rookies from attending more than one minicamp until after their school has completed final exams.

While most schools are on a two-semester academic calendar and are finished by early May, Ohio State is among about 15 schools that employ either a quarterly or trimester calendar and don't finish until mid-June.

Coleman was permitted to attend the Eagles' 4-day minicamp the week after the draft, but has missed all of the team's Organized Team Activities, which commenced on May 19 and will wrap up on Thursday, which just happens to be the day Ohio State is finished with finals.

"He's going to be behind, no doubt about it," Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott said. "Because you can't simulate what happens out there [in practice].

"Any time you're not here, it's an added challenge from a rookie standpoint. But we've got a plan in place and we've been executing that plan with Kurt over the phone as much as we can within the guidelines of the rule. We're doing the best we can to acclimate him as well as we can under the circumstances. Then, when he gets here at the end of this week, there will be an additional plan that we'll put into practice."

Coleman has missed out on some valuable practice reps. With the move of Macho Harris to cornerback and the season-ending Achilles' injury to Marlin Jackson, the Eagles have just four safeties available - veteran Quintin Mikell, second-round rookie Nate Allen, Quintin Demps and undrafted free agent Ryan Hamilton.

Coleman is scheduled to arrive in Philadelphia on Thursday night. McDermott and or defensive backs coach Dick Jauron likely will spend several days force-feeding the defensive system to the rookie. But as McDermott correctly pointed out, it's not the same as learning it out on the field for 14 practices, which is how many Coleman will have missed.

Read more: Paul Domowitch: NFL rule puts some rookies behind the 8-ball | Philadelphia Daily News | 06/08/2010
 
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For example, according to a league source, Kurt Coleman?s deal includes an escalator that gives him a raise from a minimum salary in his fourth year up to a $1.1 million base salary if he plays in 35% of defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons, and if just one of a basket of other things happen: Coleman intercepts 7 passes in any year; Coleman leads the team in interceptions; Coleman leads the team in interception return yardage; or, most importantly, if the team as a whole reaches an unspecified incentive (such as total interceptions or total tackles, or the like). As I understand it, usually the team incentives are written such that the team is likely to achieve that incentive at least once in the next three years.

His fourth year base salary can further escalate to $2 million if Coleman plays in a Pro Bowl in his first three years, as well as one of the same basket of things above happening.

This structure appears to be consistent for all of the late round picks, as I understand it ? 35% playing time in two seasons as the primary trigger, and $1.1 million as the escalated salary.

Iggles Blog - Philadelphia Eagles Blog: Contract Futures: Incentives For Rookies
 
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Safety Kurt Coleman was the final pick, but don't feel sorry for him. Kurt has a very real shot to make the roster. Numbers will play a big part in what happens to him. We normally like to keep at least 4 Safeties. Now we have Quintin Mikell, Quintin Demps, Allen, and Coleman. I'm leaving out the UDFAs. Coleman has a very favorable position when you look at the numbers. There is an x-factor here - Macho Harris. He was the FS most of last year. This year he's moved back to CB, but we could go with only 3 Safeties on the roster and then count on Macho to be a swing guy and play wherever he's needed. I'll be very disappointed if Coleman doesn't at least make the Practice Squad. I think he's going to end up starting in the NFL in a few years, whether here or elsewhere. Kurt really grew on me when I studied him for the draft. If he was a little bit bigger he would have gone much earlier.

Eagles Rookies And The Roster - SB Nation Philly
 
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Seventh-round rookie safety Kurt Coleman said he tried to make up for missing OTAs (he wasn't allowed to participate because Ohio State hadn't held graduation yet) by spending "about 10 days" in the classroom at NovaCare subsequently, and then meeting with position coach Mike Zordich in Zordich's hometown of Youngstown, Ohio.

Read more: Shortage of first-round signings makes it hard to 'slot' Eagles' Graham | Philadelphia Daily News | 07/27/2010
If Allen misses some time, it could bode well for Quintin Demps or rookie Kurt Coleman, who missed most of spring workouts because of an NFL rule that forbids recent draft picks who are still in college from participating in team practices.

"I want to contribute whatever way I can to this team," Coleman said. "I think I have a good shot at starting."

Read more: Eagles Notes: Safety Allen closing in on deal, sources say | Philadelphia Inquirer | 07/27/2010
 
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2010 Eagles Training Camp: Kurt Coleman Impresses Sean McDermott

by JasonB on Jul 27, 2010

Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott spoke with the media after practice and singled out rookie safety Kurt Coleman for praise. Coleman was the the Eagles 7th round pick out of Ohio State and missed the offseason OTAs due to NFL rules that don?t allow rookies from schools with a late graduation date to practice.

After his press conference, McDermott told Wing Tips that Coleman "quarterbacked the defense" on his first practice ? translation: made calls and coverage checks ? better than any he rookie he could remember.

Said McDermott: "Does he have room to grow? Absolutely. But the way he handled himself and quarterbacked the defense for not being here all but three days after the draft camp, that?s tremendous."

With second round pick Nate Allen still unsigned, Kurt Coleman figures to get a lot of work at safety in his absence.

2010 Eagles Training Camp: Kurt Coleman Impresses Sean McDermott - Bleeding Green Nation

On Kurt Coleman being behind due to not being able to attend the OTAs:

"Kurt?s a smart football player. He?s handled himself extremely well. What he showed me today was he?s been working. That?s a good start. He worked with the coaches during the offseason. He?s been very studious in the way he approached the time he was away from us (when he still was in school at Ohio State). Staying in contact with the coaches. Staying in contact with other players. The way he handled himself out there this morning, you would?ve never known he was away for about a month. Which was to his credit."

McDermott Addresses Defense After Training Camp Practice
 
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Posted on Wed, Jul. 28, 2010
Eagles Notebook: Eagles' rookie Coleman shared tragedy with the late Jack Tatum
By LES BOWEN
Philadelphia Daily News
[email protected]

Jack Tatum, who died from a heart attack yesterday at 61, was one of the greatest defensive backs in Ohio State history. Tatum was a feared hitter, like Kurt Coleman, the Eagles' seventh-round rookie from Ohio State.
But Coleman and Tatum, later a star with the Oakland Raiders, shared a tragic tie, as well, though Coleman said that they never discussed Tatum's 1978 hit on New England's Darryl Stingley that left Stingley paralyzed, or the 2006 spring-practice collision between Coleman and teammate Tyson Gentry that left Gentry unable to move.

"We did have some in-depth talks. We never talked about it specifically," Coleman said after yesterday's training-camp afternoon session for rookies. "Every time we talked and we got in a conversation of football, he always would just say, 'Hit 'em in the mouth.' I think, playing this game of football, there are going to be some tragic things happen, and you've got to know that you're not doing it intentionally, and that's a part of the game. That's the game of football, and there was a time when I didn't want to play football because of it . . . I learned from it, I knew it wasn't my fault, and I thank God every moment that I'm here and I'm able to play this game."

Gentry, a walk-on punter and wideout, fell awkwardly after being tackled by Coleman. Gentry helped Coleman overcome his remorse and revulsion over the accident.

"I'm just blessed that he's still alive. He's doing a lot of great things for his life," said Coleman, who said he speaks with Gentry frequently. Tatum and Stingley never spoke from the time of their tragic encounter until Stingley's death in 2007.

Coleman said he cried when Gentry told him being paralyzed had made him a better person.

"He said, 'It's not your fault. It could have happened to anybody,' " Coleman recalled. "He's changed a lot of people's lives through his story and testimonies, and I think I've been able to share my story. It's been able to bring a lot of hope to people in the same situation."

Tatum had suffered from complications to diabetes, and lost a leg to amputation. Coleman said he couldn't picture Tatum, still vigorous when they last spoke, felled by heart trouble.

Read more: Eagles Notebook: Eagles' rookie Coleman shared tragedy with the late Jack Tatum | Philadelphia Daily News | 07/28/2010

First impression
Coleman makes most of chance
By GEOFF MOSHER • For the Courier-Post • July 28, 2010

BETHLEHEM, PA. — At the end of the Eagles' first practice of training, defensive coordinator Sean McDermott got overly animated when discussing the development of rookie safety Kurt Coleman.

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Coleman had just ended practice by making the correct coverage check and batting down Michael Vick's pass during a red-zone drill.
More importantly, he played with confidence, with an edge.
"We're not in pads and he's not afraid to go chest-to-chest with somebody," McDermott raved.

http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20100728/SPORTS02/7280332/First-impression
 
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Allen isn't Eagles' only rookie safety to watch
By DAVID WEINBERG, Staff Writer | Posted: Thursday, July 29, 2010

Philadelphia Eagles rookie safeties Nate Allen and Kurt Coleman are rooming together during training camp at Lehigh University.

They also could wind up in the same secondary someday.

While Allen was finishing negotiations on the four-year contract he signed early Wednesday, Coleman took advantage of Allen's brief absence from training camp to make a strong impression on the Eagles' coaching staff.

He did not have that opportunity during the offseason. Coleman, a seventh-round draft pick from Ohio State, was ineligible to participate in the Eagles' various minicamps because of an NFL regulation that prohibits rookies from participating until their school holds its spring graduation ceremonies. Ohio State's seniors did not graduate until late June.

"The way Kurt handled himself out there this morning, you would have never known he was away for about a month," Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott said after Tuesday's morning practice. "Kurt's a smart football player and works very hard and (Allen missing that day's workouts) certainly worked to his advantage. I'm expecting his learning curve to dramatically increase."

As the 13th and last player drafted by the Eagles, Coleman faces long odds in his bid to even make the regular-season roster. Allen, a second-round pick, and veteran Quintin Mikell are currently the starting safeties, and Quintin Demps is the primary backup.

But if Coleman can continue to progress at a steady rate, he could earn one of the 53 roster spots as a special-teams performer and could one day find his way into the defense.

The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder is not only already comfortable with the defense, he plays with the aggressive style that was missing in the Eagles' secondary last season.

"I was a little hesitant at first (Tuesday morning) because I had missed out on all those physical reps in the minicamps," Coleman said Tuesday. "But once I got comfortable with everything, I started flying around and talking smack with the offensive players.

"I like to have fun with those guys. That's the only way to get through training camp. But I've always had that attitude. Maybe it's because I'm from Ohio State. I like to bring that swagger with me onto the field."

Allen isn't Eagles' only rookie safety to watch - pressofAtlanticCity.com
 
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