SEATTLE — Pacing the sidewalks of his Laurelhurst neighborhood in Seattle, Collin Roberts juggled calls from a half-dozen teams in the first hour of NFL free agency on the morning of March 14. They all called about Will Dissly, Roberts' client who, it was quickly becoming apparent, was one of the most coveted tight ends on the free-agent market.
Dissly, meanwhile, was doing his best just to maintain a steady breath.
He woke up that day in Manhattan Beach, Calif., and began to work through meditation techniques, a morning ritual interrupted by frequent calls and text messages from Roberts. Eventually, as he tried to calm his nerves, Dissly decided to go outside and, like his agent, started pacing around the block.
