Report: Pats Ship LB Collins To Browns For Compensatory Pick

When looking at why the Pats decided to move Collins, here are a few reasons:

1. His impending free agent status
2. The long list of other impending free agents on the team & the fact that they probably couldn't sign them all (i.e. Malcolm Butler, Dont'a Hightower, Jabaal Sheard, Martellus Bennett, Duron Harmon, Logan Ryan, Chris Long)
3. Reportedly high contract demands & therefore a stagnation in negotiations
4. Inconsistent play & injury issues (i.e. Hip)
5. The emergence of rookie linebacker Elandon Roberts

To further break down these reasons, the first three can be clumped together. Because the Pats have a high number of impact players entering free agency, the chance that they would be able to pay all of them was unlikely. Apparently, based on the move, the team values guys like Hightower and Butler more than they did with Collins. Then you add in the factor that Collins, according to a NESN report was looking for money on par with some of the top defensive contracts in the league and it's easy to see how negotiations went south and he was made available. 

As for his play, Collins has been, like the defense as a whole thus far, less than the stellar player many expected him to be. With the exception of a dominant performance in a Week 3 shutout win over the Houston Texans in which he recorded 14 total tackles and an interception, the Pro Bowler hadn't really played up to expectations this season. 

Finally, regarding the emergence of Roberts, the 2016 sixth rounder has played well in an expanded role as of late. After being a relative non-factor in the first four games of the year, Roberts, who was fluxed into duty in place of both Collins and Hightower because of injuries, has tallied 19 tackles in the last four weeks. He has also proven to be solid against the run, an area where Collins had seen some struggles. 

At the end of the day, the move to essentially dump Collins for a compensatory pick now is a bit of a head scratcher, because of his pure athleticism and potential high ceiling. However, the Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick deemed the move non-dyer and one that wouldn't cripple their lofty postseason expectations. 

It will be interesting to see what the team does with the remaining time before the trade deadline and how they fill the roster spot left vacant by Collins' absence.