PHX Reporter

L.J. Collier's 2023 season ended prematurely due to a torn bicep sustained in the season opener against the Commanders. The injury sidelined him for the entire year.

Despite being under contract for only one season, Collier expressed his desire to return to the Cardinals during a call with coach Jonathan Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis before undergoing surgery. "I told them I want to be back here," Collier said. "There was a lot of unfinished business and I felt had I not gotten hurt, I would've signed something for two or three years here."

The coaching staff assured the 2019 first-round pick that they would try to facilitate his return. In early March, Collier re-signed with the Cardinals on another one-year deal.

Collier's opportunity to demonstrate his abilities in a new system was curtailed by his injury. Despite the frustration, he remained motivated. "A lot of people seem to forget about you and seem to forget what you can do, and all I want to do is prove to myself that I know what I could do and know what I was going to do last year," he stated. "I was a starter on everything last year and then just to come back, it means a lot to me."

The support from Gannon and Rallis played a crucial role during Collier's rehabilitation process. Rallis noted significant improvement: "Year One to Year Two, you can see a huge difference in his comfort within what we're doing...all of the sudden, he comes back, and he looks the best he's ever looked."

Collier stayed engaged with the team throughout the season despite not being on the field. This continuity has proven beneficial for him. "We didn't know who we were last year, but we got our identity already and we know the type of defense we want," he remarked.

General Manager Monti Ossenfort prioritized enhancing the defensive line during the offseason, leading to acquisitions such as Justin Jones, Bilal Nichols, Khyiris Tonga, and Darius Robinson. Midway through camp, Collier has been competing for reps along the defensive line; when Jones missed practice time, Collier ran with the first unit alongside Nichols and Roy Lopez.

"Consistency comes to my mind," Gannon commented regarding Collier's performance. "This guy is a souped-up strong explosive cat. That's what I want to keep seeing from him."

Gannon believed strongly in bringing Collier back: "I thought he was going to be a really good player for us." As training camp progresses, Collier is determined to address unfinished business from last year.

"This is the place I want to be," said Collier. "But this is a competitive room and a completely different room...If we go out there every day, no selfishness and hold ourselves accountable; we're going to go far...we could make a deep run in playoffs."