Seahawks 90-Man Roster Rundown: Justin Coleman

Hoping to replicate his stellar play as a two-year starter for Seattle back in 2017 and 2018, Coleman will face legitimate competition in the slot from returning veterans Marquise Blair and Ugo Amadi in training camp.

Corbin K. Smith | Jul 21, 2022

In this story:

Seattle Seahawks

With the calendar flipping to July and offseason programs wrapped up across the country, NFL training camps will begin around the NFL in less than a month's time. To celebrate the new incoming season, the All Seahawks staff will be breaking down the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2022 campaign.

Justin Coleman, Cornerback

Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 190 pounds

2021 Stats: 27 tackles, two interceptions

Breaking into the league as an undrafted free agent with the Vikings, Coleman bounced around with three teams within a week to open his rookie season before the Patriots signed him to their active roster. He wound up playing in 10 games for New England during his first two seasons before being dealt to Seattle in September 2017, immediately becoming a starter at slot corner for his new team. Thriving in the Seahawks' secondary, Coleman stuffed the stat sheet while playing in all 32 regular season games during two years with the organization, amassing 98 tackles, three interceptions, two sacks, and three defensive touchdowns. Turning his outstanding play into a lucrative multi-year deal on the free agent market, he spent two seasons with the Lions before joining the Dolphins in 2021. With his career going full circle, he re-upped with the Seahawks in March on a one-year deal.

Best Case Scenario: Continuing his stellar play after a bounce-back season in Miami, Coleman edges out Marquise Blair and Ugo Amadi for Seattle's slot cornerback role and gets back to his turnover-creating ways, intercepting a pair of passes and forcing a pair of fumbles while moving into second-place on the franchise's all-time list with a fourth defensive touchdown.

Worst Case Scenario: Showing signs of decline as he approaches his 30th birthday, Coleman joins the likes of Brandon Browner and Deshawn Shead as the latest veteran defensive back who didn't make it to the regular season in their second stint with Seattle and receives his walking papers after being outplayed by Blair and Amadi.

What to Expect in 2022: Since he first left Seattle in 2019, Coleman's play has been erratic with two other teams. He struggled in his first season with Detroit, yielding eight touchdowns in coverage and allowing a 107.3 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks. He was arguably worse in 2020, surrendering four touchdowns and an 84 percent completion rate when targeted without any interceptions. But after making his way to Miami, Coleman seemed to rediscover his groove, yielding only 25 receptions and no touchdowns while splitting his time between the slot and boundary cornerback spots. Historically a very productive man cover corner due to elite quickness and change of direction skills, he will have a clear advantage playing in a defense expected to be manned up more than in the past. However, he will have to prove he can get the job done as a tackler after being charged with eight missed tackles by Pro Football Focus last year and he doesn't offer the same positional flexibility as Blair or Amadi. Partaking in a tight battle in the slot, Coleman could be a starter once again or just as easily be on the outside looking in after roster cuts.

Previous Seahawks 90-Man Roster Profiles

Published Jul 21, 2022

CORBIN K. SMITH

Graduating from Manchester College in 2012, Smith began his professional career as a high school Economics teacher in Indianapolis and launched his own NFL website covering the Seahawks as a hobby. After teaching and coaching high school football for five years, he transitioned to a full-time sports reporter in 2017, writing for USA Today's Seahawks Wire while continuing to produce the Legion of 12 podcast. He joined the Arena Group in August 2018 and also currently hosts the daily Locked On Seahawks podcast with Rob Rang and Nick Lee. Away from his coverage of the Seahawks and the NFL, Smith dabbles in standup comedy, is a heavy metal enthusiast and previously performed as lead vocalist for a metal band, and enjoys distance running and weight lifting. A habitual commuter, he resides with his wife Natalia in Colorado and spends extensive time reporting from his second residence in the Pacific Northwest.