I guess, but playing that game with a player the Patriots are giving up on 1/2-way through a Championship-callibre season with the risk of paying him ~$14M then seeing him walk isn't the way to build a franchise. Then again, this is the Browns I'm talking about, so maybe I just answered my own question.They can franchise him, and then they hold the leverage over him as at a time when he'll desperately want to get paid.
I remember being at the AFCCG last year and watching Collins get burned twice for TD's and thinking to myself, "Have we overrated the guy because of a few good games?"I literally started a thread earlier today asking if Collins was still hurt maybe or why he played so little in the last 2 games (and got trucked on that TD yesterday). I decided it wasn't thread-worthy and deleted it and instead tweeted at the ITP guys to ask them to look into what is going on with Collins. So ITP guys, nevermind!
The LB corp has a ton of depth, maybe more than any other team in the league.This is well and good, but that LB corps wasn't exactly teeming with depth before this. And with Hightower's injury history? Scary. Would hate to see a repeat of "Eric Alexander, AFC Championship Game starter."
But wouldn't the Pats have gotten a compensatory 3rd by letting him walk? They essentially traded him for moving the pick up from 2018 to 2017. I'm not a huge fan of the trade, but I hate the return.Well, he's a free agent, so the bad teams won't give up a second and you don't want to trade him to a good team. I'm not even sure why the Browns want him for a 3rd.
Elandon Roberts, who has clearly outplayed Collins when on the field.What the fuck is this?? Collins for a 3rd round pick is a complete disaster. They just massively weakened the strongest part of the defense and have who to replace? Kyle Van Noy?
That may be true and I guess the Pats finally lost their patience. But knowing how quickly injuries can pile up it seems potentially reckless to trade a guy with his kind of talent in-season for this kind of return.
Collins on the second play of the game does whatever he wants and Bills gain 28 yards. Been happening all year. It was not going to continue
-michael lombardi
Mingo, Van Noy and Elandon Roberts. I hate this trade too but man Collins disappears a ton. If you are Patriots are you paying 50 million guaranteed to someone that is invisible as much as Collins has been?What the fuck is this?? Collins for a 3rd round pick is a complete disaster. They just massively weakened the strongest part of the defense and have who to replace? Kyle Van Noy?
Browns gonna Browns.Well, he's a free agent, so the bad teams won't give up a second and you don't want to trade him to a good team. I'm not even sure why the Browns want him for a 3rd.
We have no idea if that depth can play.The LB corp has a ton of depth, maybe more than any other team in the league.
agreeBen Volin @BenVolin 1m1 minute ago
I'm told Collins turned down $11m per year from the Patriots. Franchise Tag should be around $15m this spring
11 million per year is pretty fair value on a player that is invisible at times.
What's the depth behind Hightower and Roberts if one of them gets injured? Sure Roberts has played well but you're left with Van Noy and 2 hybrid guys McLellin and Ninkovich. Very disappointed in this deal.Elandon Roberts, who has clearly outplayed Collins when on the field.
But wouldn't the Pats have gotten a compensatory 3rd by letting him walk? They essentially traded him for moving the pick up from 2018 to 2017. I'm not a huge fan of the trade, but I hate the return.
It's a 30+ pick jump and also a year early from 2018 to 2017Collins is very inconsistent, but this just seems like a terrible trade to me. You lose him for 8 games + playoffs over what, a 20-30 spots jump in the third round of next year's draft? Brady is 39, the team is healthy and they have a real shot this season. I don't think you have to be a slave for "value" all the time, this is just making your defense worse for very little return.
Now, if they needed this pick right now to swing a bigger trade (say, for Haden or Thomas) I may change my mind.
I think the inability to protect Brady is going to be a bigger issue than linebacker depth if they don't win the Super Bowl. Or maybe I have seen the 2007, 2011 Super Bowls and last year's AFC championship too many times.Cut to me in January wondering again how we didn't win in a year we were by far the best team halfway through.
It's been widely reported that it will be for the Browns 3rd round comp pick they will get for losing Alex Mack.It's a 30+ pick jump and also a year early from 2018 to 2017
Maybe it will be because our linebacker can't cover an over the hill Tight End in the biggest game of the year.Cut to me in January wondering again how we didn't win in a year we were by far the best team halfway through.
It's actually a pretty decent move for the Browns if they like Collins. They have a half season to figure out if they want the guy long term and they can easily franchise him if they want so that helps them with the negotiating leverage. Worst case is they decide to move on from Collins and they get a 2018 third or fourth round comp pick instead of a 2017 third.Seriously, why would the Browns do this? They are 0-8; even if they were to win every single game left on their schedule they're missing the playoffs. Winning games in 2016 is now a bad thing for their future. Jamie Collins is an UFA at the end of the season. How does this help the Browns in any fashion? Do they think that, after seeing how well-run an organization the Browns are, he'll re-sign with them for a discount?
So you're saying he's going to lose us the AFC Championship again like he did last year?Cut to me in January wondering again how we didn't win in a year we were by far the best team halfway through.
Schefter is saying it's a compensatory pick the Browns are sending our way. If that's true, then it's just a matter of getting that third rounder a year early. Still think that's terrible value.It's a 30+ pick jump and also a year early from 2018 to 2017
Not a fan of the team clearly leaking shit to the media, but if true that's pretty ridiculous. I'm in the "Miller is way overpaid" camp, and I say that fully believing he is the best LB in football, but $100m+ for LBs is a really good way to destroy your cap down the road.
It's been widely reported that it will be for the Browns 3rd round comp pick they will get for losing Alex Mack.
The pick doesn't exist yet though, how can they trade for something that doesn't exist?Schefter is saying it's a compensatory pick the Browns are sending our way. If that's true, then it's just a matter of getting that third rounder a year early. Still think that's terrible value.
Sure let him go at the end of the season for a comp pick if that's what he wants. But, the question still stands of why he had to be traded now? I don't get it. When he's right, he's a game changer. Let him walk at the end of the year but still get as much as you can out of him this year. Have your cake and eat it too.This is the reason he is gone. Von Miller is a game changer. Collins while can be really good doesn't show up enough to warrant that type of money.
This was my line of thinking, too. I'm far from an expert, but the many video clips of Belichick stressing the "Do Your Job" mantra keeps coming to mind. Perhaps the videos showed that Collins had been taking too many liberties, not making enough "plays" when taking those liberties and may become a liability to the system. Again, pure speculation, but given that they were far apart in contract talks, maybe Collins was taking more risks as a means of increasing the "playmaker" reputation and increasing his value on the open market. Again, I haven't watched all the tapes, but is it possible that it reached a tipping point where JC's improving could potentially cost the team more than a less talented player who would follow the play call?That may be true and I guess the Pats finally lost their patience. But knowing how quickly injuries can pile up it seems potentially reckless to trade a guy with his kind of talent in-season for this kind of return.
I'm reflexively IBWT so I'm far from panicked. Just shocked.
If it is a compensatory pick, I can only conclude that they think losing Collins does not hurt their chances this year.Schefter is saying it's a compensatory pick the Browns are sending our way. If that's true, then it's just a matter of getting that third rounder a year early. Still think that's terrible value.
Aren't compensatory picks set a year in advance? If the Pats lose Collins, the compensatory pick would come in 2018, so a 2017 compensatory pick has already been awarded to the Browns based on someone they lost in the last offseason, no? Or does the NFL only determine the round in which the pick will take place prior to the following draft?The pick doesn't exist yet though, how can they trade for something that doesn't exist?
I thought they weren't announced until March?Aren't compensatory picks set a year in advance? If the Pats lose Collins, the compensatory pick would come in 2018, so a 2017 compensatory pick has already been awarded to the Browns based on someone they lost in the last offseason, no?
Ok fine. You don't want to be here? Enjoy Cleveland then. On to Roberts.“@BenVolin: Source says Patriots were ”having a lot of trouble“ in negotiations w/ Collins for a long-term contract. Set to be a free agent this spring”
Nicely done.On the plus side, Collins is going to have significantly more chances to block extra points now.