Jamie Collins reportedly returning to New England Patriots

Former second-round draft pick Jamie Collins is reportedly set to return to the New England Patriots after two-and-a-half years with the Cleveland Browns.

Once upon a time, TV analyst Cris Collinsworth had this to say about the New England Patriots‘ Jamie Collins: “I think (he) can be as good a player as there is in this league.” That’s certainly lofty praise from one of the premier NFL studio analysts, an expert who has literally spent decades of his life watching hours upon hours of game film featuring thousands of players at this point.

And yet, just as soon as Collins seemed poised to break out on the national scene as one of the brightest young stars in the league, the Patriots exiled him to Cleveland for what amounted to be a third-round pick. Any way you slice it, that’s a loss of value and a rare gaffe for a team that’s long since established itself as the gold standard when it comes to making smart football decisions.

So why did Bill Belichick and the Patriots get rid of someone so promising, so talented, so ascendant?

If longtime Belichick confidant Mike Lombardi is to be believed, it had everything to do with lack of effort and inconsistent play on the field. When Collins was on, he was a dynamic force at outside linebacker, a physical freak of nature capable of disrupting entire offensive game plans. When he was off though, he was less than mediocre: he was actually a liability.

The Browns obviously banked on finding a way to manage Collins’ work ethic better than the Patriots had – it’s the only explanation for them giving him a four-year, $50 million contract with over half the money guaranteed after just eight games of action in a Cleveland uniform back in 2016.

Collins missed most of 2017 with a concussion and a torn MCL. He returned to a play a full regular season in 2018 and led the Browns in tackles with 104, racking up four sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one interception as well. Those are respectable numbers for a starting NFL linebacker on a relatively-mediocre squad, but they’re not quite up-to-snuff when you consider the amount of money the Browns threw at Collins to be “the guy” on defense moving forward.

As a result, Collins was released two months ago. Now, if sources and multiple reports are to be believed, it appears he is headed for a reunion back up in Foxborough with the team that originally drafted him back in 2013.

Far from a roster lock, it will be fascinating to monitor Collins’ second tenure with the Patriots. He’s still just 29 years old, and the potential he’s flashed over his six seasons in the league is substantial. His best years as an NFL player were undoubtedly in 2014 and 2015, both spent under Bill Belichick and alongside middle linebacker Dont’a Hightower.

Though linebacker isn’t necessarily a major area of need for the Patriots on defense (that would be defensive line/end if anything), it’s a smart signing nonetheless by both sides. If Collins sticks, he’ll provide invaluable depth and perhaps even the occasional game-changing play when he’s on the field. In return, the Patriots offer him his best chance yet at winning a championship and re-emerging as one of the premier players at his position in the league.

It’s a classic win-win scenario, and another masterstroke by Belichick as the team’s offseason continues to gain momentum.