Patience is key for Eagles' Jarrett, Coleman

Its a game of musical chairs.

And Jaiquawn Jarrett still hasnt gotten a seat.

The Eagles second-round pick from Temple has been active only once this season. Against the 49ers, he played on special teams.

But even with the instability at the safety position, Jarrett hasnt gotten a chance in the secondary. Not yet, anyway.

On Wednesday, with Jarrad Page limited during practice with a stinger suffered against the Bills, Jarrett split snaps with second-year pro Kurt Coleman at strong safety. Coleman took the majority of the snaps with the defense and appears to be on track to start against the Redskins.

Ill leave that to the coaches, Coleman said smiling. Well see.

Coleman was benched after Week 3 but was confident hed get another chance as a starter.

You just have to give it time, Coleman said. And I just have to keep plugging away and working hard.

Coleman was patient and it paid off. Jarrett will have to be patient too, because while he took some reps with the first team, he likely wont be the guy.

Heres how the game has played out so far:

Cue the music.

Way back in the off-season, the starting safeties were Coleman and Nate Allen. Then, before the opener, it became Coleman and Page. After the Week 3 loss to the Giants, Coleman was benched in favor Allen. On Sunday, Page was having a poor day and suffered a stinger, which brought Coleman into the game.

Confusing, huh?

It seems like, at least for now, Allen has one of the two safety jobs locked up after Sunday, which Andy Reid called his best game as a Philadelphia Eagle.

So, Jarrett is finally getting some first-team reps during practice, but he still isnt sitting in a starters chair, which can be a little frustrating.

Its always hard not to play, to watch your team play because you want to be out there to fight with them, Jarrett said. When youre not out there you feel like youre not helping them.

Whats even more frustrating is that Jarrett feels he can contribute.

I think Im ready to get out there and help, Jarrett said. Whenever my name gets called, Ill be ready to get out there and help.

Jarrett was taken with the 54th overall pick in the draft. His speed, or lack thereof, might have guided some teams away from him. He ran the 40 in 4.62. That wasnt why the Eagles drafted him.

Jarrett can hit.

And it just so happens, tackling has been a weak spot for the Eagles.

One of the most intimidatingif not the most intimidatingsafeties in the draft, Andy Reid said after the Eagles selected Jarrett. Talk about people wholl come up and smack you, hell come up and smack you.

Thats what Jarrett has been known for since his days at Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. Hes always been a big hitter, a physical presence. While it might be unfair, Jarrett has been compared to Eagle great Brian Dawkins.

Dawkins wasnt fast either. But he made up for it.

Brian Dawkins is the one of the premier safeties to ever play the game, Jarrett said. Those are some pretty big shoes to fill. He has his own legacy. Hes a great person, great athlete. Im just looking forward to getting out here and being myself.

You always want to mirror your game after the best safeties, best players at your position. You always want to be a student of the game and see what you can take from certain athletes games and put into yours.

No, hes not Brian Dawkins. No one is. Jarrett said he wants to make a name for himself, just like he did during his time at Temple.

See, Jarrett was a main figure in the transformation of the Temple University football team under then-head coach Al Golden.

In his freshman season, the Owls won four games. Before that the Owls won just 31 games from 1991 to 2006. By the time Jarrett left Temple, the school was a different program and he was a second-rounder.

We struggled in my freshman year, Jarrett said. Teams struggle but youre always going to get better, get better every week. We work in practice to try to eliminate some of the mistakes we made in the games. Try to make sure that we continue to do what we do good in the games.

Jarrett said it isnt all that much different from life as a pro. He said, just like the Owls, the Eagles just need to keep working, keep getting better.

As for getting some playing time, Jarrett said just getting on the field on special teams against the Niners was a thrill.

It was special to get out there on that field on special teams, Jarrett said. Hard work pays off. You have to stay patient and wait for the opportunity. Work hard, stay humble and stay hungry.

Jarrett has stayed hungry. And he likes special teams but hes a safety. Thats still the ultimate goal.

And with each loss the Eagles suffer and each bad performance by a safety, the music starts to slow down. When Jarrett sees an opportunity, an empty chair, hes determined to take advantage.

Its always exciting to get out there and help your team win, he said. If Im activated because of some personnel reasons so be it. I know that when I get my opportunity to help the team win, I have to make the best of it.

Eventually, hell get his seat.
E-mail Dave Zangaro at dzangaro@comcastsportsnet.com