One of the big storylines in New England this season has been when – and how – the Patriots will pay three of their young star defensive players: linebackers Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins, and cornerback Malcolm Butler.
But in a stunner, they’ve taken one of those names out of the equation.
The Patriots traded Collins to the Cleveland Browns. According to the Browns website, New England will receive a conditional draft pick. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted that it would be a compensatory third-round pick, but there’s no guarantee that the Browns will get one of those – compensatory picks are awarded by the league based on big-name players lost to other teams in free agency. The Browns lost three-time Pro Bowl center Alex Mack to the Atlanta Falcons, and he could be deemed worthy of a third.
Keep in mind, if the Patriots were to receive the Browns’ natural fourth-round pick, they almost certainly would have to forfeit it: as the very last condition of the franchise’s punishment for deflate-gate, they must give up their highest fourth-round pick in 2017. With Cleveland winless at this point, they’re on track to pick first in each round.
It’s surprising to see the Patriots part ways with Collins, the 52nd overall pick in the 2013 draft. The 6-foot-4, 250 pound Mississippi native is an athletic freak, and in his time at Southern Miss played safety, linebacker and defensive end. With the Patriots, he did a little bit of everything – in 50 games, he had 10 forced fumbles, 10.5 sacks, five interceptions and 20 pass break-ups.
It’s surprising to see the Patriots part ways with Collins, the 52nd overall pick in the 2013 draft. The 6-foot-4, 250 pound Mississippi native is an athletic freak, and in his time at Southern Miss played safety, linebacker and defensive end. With the Patriots, he did a little bit of everything – in 50 games, he had 10 forced fumbles, 10.5 sacks, five interceptions and 20 pass break-ups.