Cardinals re-sign L.J. Collier after injury tanked 2023 season

Defensive lineman L.J. Collier started the 2023 opener for the Arizona Cardinals before a biceps injury ended his season just 40 snaps in. The Cardinals will give it another go in 2024 with Collier agreeing to a one-year deal, the team announced Friday.

His agent told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that Collier is “excited to be a Cardinal.”

A first-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 2019 at 29th overall, the 28-year-old Collier is a depth piece if not a starter as Arizona likely opens up the pocketbooks with the aim of making a leap this coming season.

The 6-foot-2, 291-pound tackle never lived up to his draft slot aside from a 16-start year in 2020. He posted 22 tackles with fou for loss, 3.0 sacks and seven quarterback hits that year but has not been more than a depth piece until his single game with Arizona.

The Cardinals have much to sort out along the defensive line before the free-agency negotiating period begins on Monday.

Inpending free agent Carlos Watkins, 30, similarly tore his biceps with just two games played.

Exclusive rights free agent Jonathan Ledbetter, 26, injured his knee after his most productive season as an NFL player, while Leki Fotu, a 2020 fourth-round pick, is another free agent.

Fotu tallied 28 tackles and 2.5 sacks with five tackles for loss in 2023.

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