Nate Burleson: “They’ve got a lot of pieces to the puzzle already together and you can do something special for Detroit, Michigan”
March 8, 2010 – 10:45 am by Chris Fedor
It has been a very busy off-season for the Detroit Lions in free agency. They started off the process by signing defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch. Then for the second year in a row, the Lions set out this off-season to try and find a wide receiver to play opposite rising star Calvin Johnson. Last year they brought in Bryant Johnson and that signing has had mixed results in Detroit. So this year, the Lions have signed Nate Burleson to a 5 year 25 million dollar contract with 11 million dollars in guaranteed money. Overpay much? Burleson has ties with the Lions because offensive coordinator Scott Linehan was with him in Minnesota at the beginning of his career so in retrospect the signing makes sense. Not to mention, the Lions had a need at wide receiver and they filled that need. However, they also gave a wide receiver that has been unbelievably inconsistent throughout his career and has had just one 1,000 yard season in seven years 11 million dollars guaranteed. The Lions just gave a good, solid receiver the kind of money that a great receiver should get, not Nate Burleson.
Nate Burleson joined KJR in Seattle with Dave Mahler to talk about leaving Seattle, how he came to the conclusion to go to Detroit, whether or not he has any hard feelings towards the Seahawks and what it’s going to be like playing opposite Calvin Johnson in Detroit.
On why he decided on the Detroit Lions:
“I think it came down to a team wanting you a making you feel like a priority. I got a call from my agent, started chatting and he was telling me the interest that was out there. Detroit was far more enthusiastic about me coming and being a part of their program, more than anybody else including Seattle. With that being said, at the end of the day, a lot of this is about being wanted. I think that’s what free agency is. When you’re drafted, you’re selected by a team. When a team wants to trade you, you’re sought after. And when you’re a free agent, priorities stick out. Being that I was a top guy on their list and they wanted to reach out and make something happen right after free agency started, it kinda charged something inside of me and got me excited.”
On whether or not the Seahawks expressed interest in keeping him:
“To be honest, I think that would probably be a better question for my agent to answer, but from what he’s communicated to me, Detroit was more excited about bringing me in. Playing opposite of a guy who is a tremendous young talent, attracts a lot of attention, having a young quarterback, high draft picks, a couple of former Seahawks, I’m starting to weigh the options the more it was becoming a reality. My agent is saying they really want you and it’s not about them just shooting you some dollars. They want you to come out and catch some balls for them and make some plays. My next question was what else is there? What else do we have out there? Referring to the obvious he was saying I just don’t think the excitement is as high as Detroit. I think that’s what sold me.”
On how many teams showed an interest:
“I think everybody’s been tuned into what’s going on; guys getting released as far as the wide receiver position. There’s a lot of teams that needed playmakers for whatever reasons. It just seemed like it’s a good fit and it really could turn out to be something special and I’m excited about it.”
On people thinking that he went to Detroit just for the money:
“I think anybody who knows me personally being that I’m just a third round draft pick that didn’t plan on making it this long in the league, money has never been an issue. I never once complained, I never went to the media, I never once said I’m doing X, Y and Z for your team. That has never been me. So money has never been the issue. Then you talk about the team not being so good. Realistically with the new coaching staff in Seattle, there’s a lot of things that you have to question. I’m still a hometown kid so I’m gonna be rooting for everything Seattle and hopefully things to turn out well. But with the pieces to the puzzle in Detroit already having a year in the system, Scott Linehan who was my offensive coordinator in Minnesota, who is a tremendous, tremendous offensive mind, and the pieces to the puzzle that could fall into place talking about free agency now including myself, the number two pick in the draft, following draft picks like that after this year, you would start to think after a while that the puzzle would come together. That’s just me being optimistic because that’s the kind of guy I am. But you never know in this league. You’ve seen what happened to Miami after they had a terrible year after they came back I think it was a couple of years ago. You get a place like New Orleans who’s done so much for the city, I think right now Detroit’s in a similar situation. They’ve got a lot of pieces to the puzzle already together and you can do something special for Detroit, Michigan.”
On whether or not he has any hard feelings towards the Seahawks:
“I’m not bitter and you know me so I’m not gonna get mad about the business side of football. At the end of the day, I’m a young player, I’m going in my third contract in the NFL, and I’m getting paid to play a sport that I love. I’m just changing the color of my jersey, but I’m still gonna go out there and bleed my heart on the field when I can. I can’t get upset. I spent four good years in Seattle and they put me in position to get in the history books. I got some NFL records under my belt being a Seattle Seahawk. I’m really okay with the time I’ve spent here. Now it’s time for a new chapter and something exciting to finish off my career.”
Listen to Nate Burleson on KJR in Seattle here
Tags: 950 KJR, Detroit Lions, Nate Burleson, Nate Burleson signs with the Lions, NFL, Seattle Seahawks
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