The Detroit Lions have informed slot cornerback Justin Coleman that he will be released by the franchise, a source confirmed to ESPN on Thursday.
Coleman is Detroit’s second defensive defender to learn awaiting his off-season release, joining Desmond Trufant. When asked about Coleman and Trufant’s future with the club earlier this month, head coach Dan Campbell said those decisions would come. Now they have and both players will be elsewhere in 2021.
Coleman was planned to count $ 11,029 million against the cap by 2021, and depending on how he’s designated upon release, the Lions could save up to $ 9 million if he announced a release after June 1. If not, the Lions would save $ 6.971 million, according to the Roster Management System. Coleman’s release also prevents the Lions from guaranteeing $ 1.1 million of his $ 8.95 million base salary, which would have happened on the third day of the new league year, which begins March 17.
The Lions will bring in $ 4,058 million in dead money for Coleman’s release, bringing the team’s total dead money to well over $ 30 million for 2021 – largely thanks to the $ 19 million from the Matthew Stafford trade that will be official when the new competition year starts.
Detroit is now lean on the corner with outgoing Coleman and Trufant, with only Amani Oruwariye, Jeff Okudah and recently re-signed Mike Ford to the position with significant experience playing for Detroit last year.
NFL Network first reported the pending release of Coleman.
27-year-old Coleman signed a $ 36 million four-year deal with the Lions during free agency in 2019, making him one of the highest-paid slots in the league at the time.
He’s started 16 games – mostly in the slot – since arriving in Detroit, splitting 14 passes with one interception. He also had three forced fumbles and one fumble, all in 2019.
Coleman left Tennessee and played two seasons each in New England, Seattle and Detroit, playing in 79 games (29 starts) and breaking 41 passes with four interceptions and returning twice for touchdowns. He also forced four fumbles, recovered four fumbles, and scored a touchdown on one fumble.