Appreciate his contributions. In the end, Erik Coleman just wasn't worth it.
We've discussed parting ways with EC ad nauseum this week. We know he's a leader. We know he has valuable experience. We know that life is not, in fact, like a box of chocolates; it's more like a box of Comrade Dimitroff, roundhouse kicking you in the face.
But what'd we really lose from a statistical standpoint?
Thomas Decoud's 2010 campaign wasn't spectacular (0.52 +WPA). There's no denying the talent is there; it just comes down to consistency.
Decoud's +WPA in '09 was 0.99. He's no Michael Griffin, but his +WPA was higher than Coleman's (0.91) in '09, which means one thing IMO: the writing was on the wall last summer. Doubt EC thought he had job security, especially with Moore's emergence.
Going from 7 to 4 passes defensed (from '09 to '10) doesn't really concern me. And the same goes for his interception total (3 to 1). Arguably he played a different role this year, helping Grimsey lock down his side of the field. Moreover, if you're an NFL QB, and you know about Decoud's '09 campaign, guarantee you're thinking twice about throwing his way (i.e., he had less opportunities to deflect and/or pick passes). Plus he's only 25. He has time to develop, and develop he will.
He's becoming a better tackler (0.91 Tackle Factor this year vs. 0.79 Tackle Factor last year) and his Success Rate is ticking upward (32.9 this year vs. 28.6 last year).
Simply stated, rest easy tonight. EC did his job. If you thought he was anything more than a stopgap, then I'm sorry to disappoint, but the future is now Falcoholics.