Saints Sign DB Kurt Coleman

The Saints added some reinforcement at safety overnight. Following a meeting earlier this week, the team has signed former Panthers defensive back Kurt Coleman, reports Nick Underhill of The Advocate (via Twitter). Underhill notes (via Twitter) that it’s a three-year deal for Coleman, while NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds that the deal is worth $18MM, with $6.5MM due in the first year of the contract.

Kurt Coleman (Vertical)Coleman, a 2010 seventh-round pick out of Ohio State, bounced around the league during his first few years in the NFL. He ultimately landed with the Panthers in 2015, and he proceeded to start 30 games for the organization between 2015 and 2016. During that two-year stretch, Coleman finished each campaign with at least 90 tackles, seven passes defended, and four interceptions. However, the 29-year-old took a bit of a step back in 2017, compiling 76 tackles, three passes defended, and zero interceptions. These numbers ultimately earned him a bottom-10 safety ranking according to Pro Football Focus.

Despite the struggles, Coleman should still get an opportunity to play next season in New Orleans. The Saints aren’t expected to re-sign defensive back Kenny Vaccaro, meaning Coleman could play plenty in the team’s three-safety sets. He’ll ultimately compete with Vonn Bell and Marcus Williams for playing time, but there should be more than enough snaps for the trio.

The Saints weren’t the only team to express interest in the veteran safety. According to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell (via Twitter), the Bengals also offered Coleman a three-year deal.

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