<span style="">Metairie – New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced on Friday afternoon that the club has agreed to terms with free agent defensive tackle Earl Heyman/Rod Coleman.aspx"><span style="">Roderick (Rod) Coleman</span><span style=""></span> on a one-year contract.
Coleman, 32, did not play in 2008 after being released by the Atlanta Falcons on February 18, 2008. The 6-2, 285-pound product of East Carolina University is a nine-year NFL veteran who originally broke into the NFL as a fifth-round draft choice of the Oakland Raiders in 1999. After four seasons in the Silver-and-Black, Coleman moved via free agency to the Atlanta Falcons, where he played from 2004-2007.
The native of Philadelphia and product of fabled Simon Gratz High School has registered 293 career tackles and 58.5 sacks as a professional and led all NFL defensive tackles in sacks from 2001-2007 with 52.5. Coleman earned his first Pro Bowl nomination in 2005 after leading all defensive tackles for the second straight season in sacks with 10.5 sacks in addition to tallying a career-high four forced fumbles.
Coleman was named as NFC Defensive Player of the Month in October of 2005. Under the direction of current Saints defensive line coach Bill Johnson, who coached Coleman in Atlanta, Coleman led all NFL defensive tackles in sacks in both 2004 (11.5) and 2005.
During his career Coleman has played in 109 career regular season games, with 70 starts to his credit. Additionally he has played in nine postseason contests, making four starts, and has registered 25 tackles and four-and-a-half sacks. Coleman played in Super Bowl XXXVII as a member of the Raiders.
