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Cowboys Sever Ties With Coleman


PHOENIX - The Cowboys landed here Saturday afternoon with only 52 players on their 53-man roster after releasing veteran safety Marcus Coleman before the team's charter departed from DFW International Airport earlier in the day.

According to the Irving Police Department, Coleman was stopped for a traffic violation early Saturday morning and then was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated in Irving on Highway 114.

The Cowboys have not yet filled Coleman's spot on the 53-man roster. His release means the Cowboys now have four safeties on the roster: Keith Davis, Abram Elam, Patrick Watkins and Roy Williams.

Coleman, 32, served a four-game suspension at the start of the season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy and returned to the roster Oct. 9 on a one-week roster exemption. The Cowboys released him for two days in a procedural move to prevent having portions of his salary guaranteed, then re-signed him to the active roster on Oct. 16.

Coleman has played as a nickel safety coming in for starter Keith Davis the past two games, and recorded one tackle. He also had a special teams tackle in his regular-season debut Oct. 23 against the Giants.

Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells has been dissatisfied with his free safeties' production in recent weeks. Watkins, a fifth-round pick out of Florida State, started the first six games but was benched after giving up several deep pass plays in losses to the Eagles and Giants. The Cowboys' safeties have allowed seven touchdowns in coverage this season, according to Parcells.

Parcells said he wanted to see improvement from Coleman and Davis, last year's 15-game starter, or he would consider going back to Watkins. Coleman was responsible for Chris ey's 18-yard touchdown reception last Sunday that allowed the Redskins to tie the game, 19-19.

Now he may have little choice.

An 11-year veteran, Coleman signed a one-year deal for an $810,000 base salary with the Cowboys in April after spending the last four years with the Texans. He played three years with the Jets under Parcells (1997-99), and was signed in part because of his experience at both safety and cornerback. The veteran received no signing bonus and only a chance to collect another $20,000 based on snaps.

Coleman has started 101 of 152 career games, recording 561 tackles, 25 interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Coleman ran into problems in Houston last year, getting benched for the final couple of games after missing a walk-through practice the day before a game.