Seattle Seahawks catch heat after former first-round selection L.J. Collier signs with Cardinals
Former Seahawk L.J. Collier didn’t leave Seattle under the best circumstances, and after signing with the Cardinals, his agent slammed the Seahawks for letting him go.
Everything didn't go as planned in the Seattle Seahawks' relationship with former first-round pick L.J. Collier.
The Seahawks declined Collier's fifth-year option, and the unrestricted free agent signed a one-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals.
During his Seahawks tenure, Collier struggled to produce. He failed to live up to his 2019 first-round selection hype, and he spent an exorbitant amount of time on the injury reserve list.
That history is what makes what Collier's agent said on Tuesday after he signed with Arizona interesting. Scott Casterline, Collier's agent, had some choice words for the Seahawks in a quote that was tweeted out after the official signing.
"Our main objective was getting L.J. to the right team, right coaching staff, and right scheme," Casterline said to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. "Look at what they did last year in Philadelphia. They play upfield. Jonathan Gannon is what you want in a coach."
On the surface, it may look like a harmless tweet. But once you start reading between the lines, it sounds like a shot at Pete Carroll and Seattle. Specifically, when Casterline said "right coaching staff and right scheme."
He must have forgotten that Collier was the 29th overall draft pick with a four-year average of 10 tackles per season. He also racked up several healthy scratches throughout his tenure in Seattle.
But Collier shouldn't be held responsible for the embarrassing behavior of his agent. In the departure, though it didn't end well, the defensive lineman thanked Seattle and the organization for how he was helped during his first four years in the NFL.
"Just wanted to say thank you to Seattle Seahawks they gave me a chance of a lifetime I'm forever grateful now cardinals nation let's get to work!!" Collier tweeted.
It is good to see Collier approaching the departure with some dignity. If only his agent did the same.
