Getty Nickell Robey-Coleman enters the Super Bowl with the Rams in 2019.
Nickell Robey-Coleman hasn’t been a member of the Detroit Lions for a day, and already, he believes his new team is set up to do some intriguing things on the field.
Robey-Coleman signed with the team this week to help out in the defensive backfield at cornerback, and it’s clear he has some big faith in the new system he will be entering thanks to the familiarity he has within it and some of the recent results it has been able to generate.
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Speaking after practice on Wednesday, August 11 for the first time as a member of the team, Robey-Coleman admitted that he had interest from elsewhere in. the league, but elected to sign in Detroit thanks to the scheme and the chance to do some special things. Chris Burke of The Athletic tweeted about Robey-Coleman’s comments regarding his new squad.
Robey-Coleman said Houston, Arizona, Atlanta were among the six or seven teams who showed interest in him. Picked Detroit because of the people on this staff and the opportunity to “do something big.”
Getting the Lions to this level would be huge, and the fact that Robey-Coleman seems to love the fit is very notable for the team.
Lions Defense Changing for 2021 Season
Detroit has ushered in some big changes this year, and many have been on the defensive side of things. New coordinator Aaron Glenn is looking to run a 3-4 scheme, and that has led to many players switching positions and a new look on that side of the ball. One of the new key figures is defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant, who came from the Rams this offseason. Clearly, the Lions wanted to see if they could get some of the same momentum, and that is something which Robey-Coleman would likely admit. The new scheme is going to be predicated on finding a way to generate pressure up front in a variety of ways while also mixing coverages.
Whether or not the Lions have the personnel to match the Rams in their quest for relevancy on defense remains to be seen, but some of the meaningful changes have caught the attention of players.
Nickell Robey-Coleman Career Stats and Highlights
In 2013, Robey-Coleman broke into the league out of USC as an undrafted free agent. The Buffalo Bills signed him, and he cracked the roster. Robey-Coleman would stay in Buffalo until the Rams signed him in 2017. From 2017-2019, Robey-Coleman was a key member of the Los Angeles secondary and would end up having 122 tackles and 3 interceptions from his time with the team. Robey-Coleman was involved in a controversial play during the NFC Championship when he collided with New Orleans wideout Tommylee Lewis with no penalty called. The Rams used that play as a springboard to the Super Bowl. After his stay with the Rams, Robey-Coleman signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020 where he was for a year.
Here’s a look at some highlights:
As a whole, Robey-Coleman has put up 333 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, 6 fumble recoveries, 49 passes defended, 6 interceptions and 2 defensive scores in his career. He’s a pretty productive option for a team looking for a veteran player to fill in for depth at the spot.
Obviously, Robey-Coleman is confident in the fit with his new team.
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