Green Bay Packers quarterback B.J. Coleman (9) passes during a Packers NFL football intrasquad scrimmage.There was no drama in former McCallie and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga quarterback B.J. Coleman's phone call Saturday.
"I signed, baby!" Coleman yelled.
A day after getting cut by the Green Bay Packers, Coleman was signed to the Packers' practice squad. The seventh-round draft pick could have been picked up by another team after being cut, but he wanted to stay in Green Bay.
"I was really hoping this is how it would work out," he said. "It's been great and these guys have been awesome here."
Coleman wasn't the only local rookie to sign Saturday. Wide receiver Tim Benford, from Red Bank High School and Tennessee Tech, will join the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad. He signed with Dallas as an undrafted free agent right after the draft and was cut Friday.
In addition, Coleman's UTC teammate, cornerback Chris Lewis-Harris, signed with the Cincinnati Bengals, who told him when they cut him Friday that he'd be on their practice squad.
"I feel really good about how I did in camp, and I've just got to take advantage of this opportunity to get better," he said Friday night.
The Packers historically have kept only two quarterbacks on their 53-man active roster, so Coleman went into training camp knowing it was going to be hard to beat out reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers or backup Graham Harrell.
Coleman said he's looking forward to having a season to study the Packers' system and improve as a quarterback in every phase of the game. NFL practice squad players make $5,700 a week.
Contact John Frierson at jfrierson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6268. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/mocsbeatCTFP.