Eric WoodyardESPN
DETROIT, Mich. — After hosting free agent cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman for a workout, the Detroit Lions announced Monday that they have signed the veteran while waiving safety D’Angelo Amos.
The Lions need help in the secondary with cornerback Quinton Dunbar out due to personal reasons and Corn Elder also sidelined with a leg injury, which kept him out of the team scrimmage at Ford Field over the weekend.
Robey-Coleman has history with Lions defensive back coach Aubrey Pleasant from their time together with the Los Angeles Rams from 2017 to 2019.
The Philadelphia Eagles signed Robey-Coleman to a one-year contract last offseason, believing they had acquired one the five best slot corners in the game. The pairing did not live up to expectations, however, as Robey-Coleman finished with one pass defended and no interceptions in 15 games.
Robey-Coleman, who turned 29 in January, had more success in his previous stops with the Rams and Buffalo Bills (2013-16), who signed him as an undrafted free agent out of USC.
An eight-year veteran, Robey-Coleman is most famous for the pass interference call that wasn’t in the NFC Championship Game between the Rams and the New Orleans Saints in January 2019. With less than two minutes remaining in regulation, he hit Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis as the ball sailed towards them, but officials failed to call defensive pass interference. The play proved critical as the Rams eventually went on to defeat the Saints in overtime to earn a trip to Super Bowl LIII.
Robey-Coleman has six career interceptions to go with 49 passes defended.
ESPN’s Tim McManus contributed to this report.
