Giants Likely To Franchise S Landon Collins

The Giants are likely to use the franchise tag on safety Landon Collins if the two sides don’t work out an extension, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

Collins was available prior to last Tuesday’s trade deadline, but the asking price was high, as the Giants were reportedly seeking a second-round pick in exchange for the All-Pro defensive back. Despite that price tag, New York did receive interest in Collins, and Schefter reports the Packers, Chiefs, and 49ers all made inquiries.

Kansas City would have made sense as a destination for Collins, as the Chiefs nearly dealt for fellow safety Earl Thomas before he went down with a season-ending injury. Green Bay, of course, traded its own safety in Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, but is still squarely in contention and in need of secondary help. The 49ers aren’t going to make the postseason, but they could have acquired Collins with the intention of using their exclusive negotiating window to hammer out a long-term deal.

As Schefter notes, all three of those clubs would presumably have interest in Collins if he hits the open market, but it doesn’t sound as though the Giants will allow that to happen. Given his age (Collins will be 25 years old when free agency opens) and pedigree, Collins will surely target a $10-12MM annual salary on his next contract. The 2019 franchise tag for safeties will be worth roughly that same amount, but wouldn’t come with the long-term risk of an extension.

Collins, a second-round pick in the 2015 draft, has been a full-time starter for the Giants since entering the league. A two-time Pro Bowler, Collins has 62 tackles, four passes defensed, and a forced fumble this season while grading as the NFL’s 13th-best safety, per Pro Football Focus.