Eagles Add Another 'Nickell' to the Mix
The Eagles continued to rebuild their secondary on Wednesday agreeing to terms with veteran slot corner Nickell Robey-Coleman on a one-year deal for $1.3 million.
Philadelphia was seemingly already well-fortified at the nickel position with Avonte Maddox and Cre’Von LeBlanc but Robey-Coleman, 28, has a history with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz dating back to Buffalo in 2014 and has been considered an upper-level slot CB in the past.
Originally an undrafted player out of Southern California in 2013, Robey-Coleman spent the first four seasons of his career with the Bills before returning to Los Angeles fior the past three years, where he amassed three interceptions and three forced fumbles over that span.
Robey-Coleman hit the market when the Rams declined the 2020 option on his contract. He was originally set to enter the final season of a three-year, $15.7 million deal.
Perhaps best known for the controversial no-call in the 2019 NFC Championship Game between the Rams and New Orleans Saints that spawned the disastrous change in pass-interference rules last season, Robey-Coleman is an undersized player in the mold of Maddox at just 5-foot-8 and 180 pounds.
Those size limitations limit him to being a slot option, however, and with Rasul Douglas reported on the trading block, perhaps the Eagles plan to move Maddox, who has held up at times when forced to play outside, to push Sidney Jones opposite Darius Slay with LeBlanc and Robey-Coleman competing for nickel duties.
Robey-Coleman is the third addition on the back end so far this offseason joining Slay and versatile safety Will Parks. Meanwhile, the Eagles also re-signed Rodney McLeod at safety and Jalen Mills with the intent of moving him from CB to safety in lieu of letting Malcolm Jenkins walk in free agency.
Philadelphia also shifted gears on the coaching staff after Cory Undlin left to become the defensive coordinator in Detroit, bringing in former Atlanta DC Marquand Manuel to coach the defensive backfield. Tim Hauck remains the saftey coach.
John McMullen covers the Eagles for SI.com. You can listen to John every day at 4 ET on ESPN 97.3 in South Jersey and reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
