Seahawks' Diggs: Lions were trying to 'control voices in the locker room'

Seattle Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs was dealt by the Detroit Lions at the trade deadline for a fifth-rounder, and he believes there was more to the decision than stockpiling draft picks.

"I think it was more of just a control thing," Diggs told Detroit Free Press' Dave Birkett. "Them wanting to control the locker room. Control the locker room, control voices in the locker room."

A team captain coming off a Pro Bowl season, Diggs said the news of the trade was a "shock." Other players on the team, including cornerback Darius Slay, voiced their displeasure with the deal.

The 26-year-old said he has "no ill will" toward his former employer, expressing appreciation for his teammates, the city, and the management team that brought him in.

However, that group did not include current head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn. When discussing his relationship with them, Diggs simply said, "It is what it is."

Some will point to Diggs' spotty tackling and injury troubles this year as the reasons he was shipped out, but he thinks it was his big personality and strong voice.

"Just me being the person I am," Diggs explained. "I'm a vocal guy, so when you're vocal and when you're competitive, I'm a competitive guy. I'm competitive as shit. I hate losing. I go and I put my body on the line every week doing hella treatment, doing all these other things and at the end of the day it didn't work out ... I'm just me, man, and I guess when you yourself, sometimes you get singled out."

After practicing on a limited basis this week, the fifth-year pro will look to make his Seahawks debut Monday against the undefeated San Francisco 49ers.