"We'll evaluate it as we go," coach Eric Mangini said today. "We take concussions extremely seriously. He'll be out for practice today and we'll see how it goes through the rest of the week."

Coleman was injured during the Jets' 17-14 loss at Buffalo last Sunday, but didn't show symptoms of a concussion until after the game.

"Any time a player has an issue, we always go through that protocol," Mangini said. "This was something that actually developed after the game in terms of the symptoms and things like that."

Mangini added that Coleman told the team Monday he was having discomfort. Coleman was listed as out for practice on Wednesday with a head injury, but was it was changed to a concussion Thursday as the result of, as Mangini termed it, "a clerical oversight."

Coleman, who was not in the locker room during media availability, has started the Jets' first four games and leads the team with 35 tackles. If Coleman can't go Sunday, Eric Smith would likely get the start, with Rashad Washington and Abram Elam filling in.

"Well, if that opportunity does present itself, I've got to take advantage of it," said Smith, who was unaware of the extent of Coleman's injury. "We're still waiting to see. It's a few days off, so we'll have to wait and see what happens."

Smith, a third-round pick out of Michigan State last year, was pushing Coleman for the starting spot before injuring his right leg a few days before the preseason opener against Atlanta in August.