The Detroit Lions have been shopping veteran linebacker Jamie Collins for a while now but found the market for the player to be scarce. So, to allow themselves and Collins a chance for a fresh start, the Lions simply decided to release the player.
The two sides previously agreed after Week 2 that Collins wouldn’t be part of the Lions anymore and doesn’t need to come to practice anymore. Detroit’s front office had talks with several teams about the 31-year-old player but ultimately never got the offer they liked.
The Lions decided to move on from Collins after he struggled to perform in the first two weeks of the 2021 NFL season. The franchise also decided to give a chance to their younger players, most notably this year’s fourth-round pick Derrick Barnes.
As ESPN’s Field Yates points out, Collins will get to keep his $5 million bonus and $3.8 million salary from the Lions despite being released. This potentially opens up more possibilities for his next step. According to multiple reports, several teams would be open to adding Collins on the cheap, including his former team, the New England Patriots.
Collins started his career with the Patriots, earning All-Pro honors in New England and helping the franchise win Super Bowl XLIX. He later played with the Cleveland Browns and had another stint with the Pats before signing with Detroit in 2020.
