Jamie

Collins

Collins last played in 2022, appearing in three games and totaling two tackles. The Patriots made Collins a second-round pick in 2013, as he went on to earn one Pro Bowl nod while winning two Super Bowls throughout his 10-year career. Collins’ career finishes with 708 tackles and 26.5 career sacks.

Reiss notes that it’s not yet clear if the Patriots will sign Collins to the active roster or to the practice squad. Collins, who turns 33 later this month, should be able to provide some rotational veteran help once incorporated into the Patriots’ lineup.

Well, we’re sure he knows where everything is by now. Raekwon McMillan lost snaps to Mack Wilson last week and this could be a sign that the Patriots are interested in more of a sure thing next to Ja’Whaun Bentley inside.

Collins played under Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham in multiple seasons while the two were together in New England. If Collins winds up signing with Las Vegas, his familiarity with the scheme would help him quickly get up to speed. Collins spent his 2021 season in Detroit and New England. He totaled 30 combined tackles, four TFLs, and one sack across a dozen games.

The on-again-off-again Patriot could see action Monday night in New England’s matchup with division rival Buffalo. Collins, 32, will likely be a rotational player in an ever-improving Patriots defense.

Collins, 32 in October, was most recently released from Detroit after the Lions found no interested suitors on the trade market. His third stint with the Patriots, Collins is at least familiar with Bill Belichick’s scheme and was at his best the last time he was with New England. He’ll come off the bench as veteran depth when officially signed.

Any interested teams had a “good idea” Detroit would eventually release Collins, bringing any negotiations to a stalemate. The Lions signed Collins to a three-year, $30 million contract last year but a restructuring of his deal this offseason pointed to this inevitable split. Collins defended six passes while gathering one interception with a sack in 14 starts in 2020, adding a veteran presence to whichever depth chart takes a chance on him next. He’ll turn 32 in October.

The Lions are among the healthiest teams in the NFL after two weeks, though they’ll go without Flowers and Collins against Baltimore’s run-heavy offense. Collins will miss the game while the Lions try to trade him. There was no way Detroit’s defense could stop Lamar Jackson and company, even with a fully healthy defense.

The Lions signed Collins to a three-year, $30 million contract in 2020 but a restructuring of his deal this offseason pointed to a split between the two parties sooner rather than later. Collins was brought in under former head coach Matt Patricia, partially based on their time together in New England. With Patricia long gone and the winless Lions already looking toward the 2022 season, a deal to move the veteran linebacker makes sense. Collins started 14 games in Detroit last year and defended six passes, intercepting one and adding a sack along the way. Contending teams looking for a seasoned veteran should be calling the Lions throughout the week.

The team will convert the $8.8 million Collins is guaranteed in 2021 into a signing bonus, spreading his cap hit out through the 2024 season and immediately reducing his ’21 hit from $11.33 million to below $6 million. With a number of voided years added to his deal, the Lions are likely looking to move on from Collins, a Matt Patricia favorite, in the next calendar year.