The Seattle Seahawks went the entire preseason without seeing their 2019 first round pick, defensive end L.J. Collier, in action.
Collier suffered a rare ankle injury during training camp and finally returned to the practice field this week. Coach Pete Carroll is optimistic Collier could see the field as soon as Week 2, based on how he’s looked so far in drills.
“He looks really good to me in all the drills and everything that he’s done,” Carroll said on Friday. “I would think next week he’d be competing to play. We’re going to keep him out one more time, one week here, but he looks really good. So, we’ll see what happens and how he manages the full workload next week. But I’m hoping that he’ll get full reps and show us where he fits in.”
The Seahawks will have an enviable problem on their hands when Collier is healthy, as they’ll have to find snaps for him at a position that now features Jadeveon Clowney and Ezekiel Ansah, not to mention Quinton Jefferson, Rasheem Green and Branden Jackson.
Still, Collier’s ability to play inside and outside should make him a valuable weapon for the Seahawks up front, and they’ll no doubt be thrilled to have him back next week if he stays on track.
