Patriots: revisiting Bill Belichick owning the Browns in Jamie Collins trade

Revisiting the Patriots trade that sent Jamie Collins to the Browns in 2016.

Now that Jamie Collins’ reunion with the New England Patriots is officially over — he signed with the Detroit Lions this offseason — it seems like an appropriate time to reflect on the surprising trade in 2016 that shipped him to the Cleveland Browns, just a year after he was named to the Pro Bowl.

In return for Collins, who was entering the final year of his contract at the time, the Patriots received a third-round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft.

The former second-round pick was ultimately re-signed by Cleveland on a four-year, $50 million contract, and it’s fair to say that he wasn’t worth the price of admission. In 2.5 seasons with the Browns, Collins started 30 of a possible 40 games, across which he posted 135 tackles, seven sacks, 14 quarterback hits and three forced fumbles.

An underwhelming campaign in 2019 resulted in him getting released, paving the way for his return to Foxborough.

Not much more would need to be said to articulate that New England won this trade in a landslide, but the sheer fallout of the deal cannot be understated. The Patriots unloaded their acquired third-rounder in a deal to acquire New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks.

Though he spent just one season with the franchise, the former Oregon State star was extremely productive, logging 65 receptions for 1,082 yards and six touchdowns.

After the 2017 season, New England traded Cooks and a fourth-rounder to the Rams in exchange for first- and sixth-round selections in the 2018 draft. When the dust settled, the AFC powerhouse was left with a foursome of players headlined by offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn, who, despite appearing in just eight games across his first two NFL seasons, figures to be the team’s LT of the future.

Like almost all trades involving the Patriots, this deal perfectly illustrated how they manage to squeeze as much value as possible from their partners. Whether it be packaging an acquired asset to obtain draft capital or jettisoning a pair of picks secured in another deal for a player who can contribute right away, New England never leaves a stone unturned.

If that isn’t a testament to Belichick’s wizardry, then nothing is.