The Patriots are on the verge of reuniting with Jamie Collins. The linebacker will sign with New England this week to kick off his third stint with the club (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com). This deal is not quite final yet, per The Athletic’s Jeff Howe (on Twitter), but the sides are talking about a reunion.
Collins is expected to fly to New England on Wednesday morning, per Albert Breer of SI.com, who adds the team has made an offer to the veteran defender (Twitter link). Should Collins’ physical check out, it would seem he is set for his third stint with the Patriots. He is on track to reunite with Matt Patricia, who also trekked back to the Pats after being fired by the Lions.
The Lions cut Collins in late September when they couldn’t find a suitable trade for him. Clearly, his stock has cooled, but he’s just two years removed from a standout season with the Pats. He used that year as a springboard to a three-year, $30MM deal in free agency with the Lions under the Patricia-Bob Quinn power structure.
Collins was signed by the Lions’ old regime, so Dan Campbell opted for a youth movement instead. The Lions ate $11MM+ in dead money by cutting the soon-to-be 32-year-old; the Pats are getting him for a whole lot less. This is a similar development to Collins’ previous return to New England, which signed him shortly after the Browns cut bait on a big-ticket contract during the 2019 offseason.
Used as a hybrid player in New England, Collins made the Pro Bowl in 2015 with 5.5 sacks and an NFL-high five fumbles. The Southern Miss product later turned in a seven-sack 2019. And, just last year, he was credited with 101 tackles. In his limited two-game sample this season, Pro Football Focus rated him as a top-25 off-ball ‘backer.
13 straight wins now.
Love it
I get that Detroit wanted to move on from Collins, but $11 million in dead money is a lot to just drop a player for no return. They may as well have kept him him and used him in some way to get something back, especially considering the injury to Okwara that will likely result in moves along the front seven.
We’re talking about to lions here lol
I think there was more to the story we do not know. Collins was not happy with the system and he wanted out of Detroit. No big surprise he headed back to the system that built him.
No one wanted to give up anything for him
If nobody wants to give me anything for a player, I owe him money, and he can have some kind of use, I’m using him somehow. I’m not cutting him for nothing and then owing him money.
Woooooo
If he gives anywhere near the ‘effort’ he gave against GB on MNF, he won’t last long in NE. He’s just a name at this point in his career.
What’s the best way to help New England’s aging, slow and soft front seven? Bring back an aging, slow and soft Linebacker.
It’s only a good move because he can’t play in any other system