Jamie Collins to the Browns

[kozlodoev]

For only a 3rd rounder. 

Elandon Roberts must be better than we thought.

[manl_lui]

huh? that's a head scratcher for me

[jambr380]

The bright side is that it is more like a late 2nd than a 3rd (and we likely will have back to back picks).

Bummer, though - I liked Collins and thought the decision was already made when we sent off Jones to Arizona. The hard cap in the NFL is really a pain in the butt.

EDIT: Thanks to those for the clarification of this being a compensatory 3rd round pick and not the Brown's pick - makes it a bit harder to swallow. Maybe there is something to Collins being a distraction - seems this really came out of nowhere.

[PhoSita]

Hey, you know what, when you have a very good chance at being the best team in your conference, if not the league, the right thing to do is trade one of your most talented defensive players for a pick.

Who needs linebackers to win games, anyway?

You can never have enough 2nd and 3rd round picks that are destined to become backup offensive linesmen and busted cornerbacks.

[JumpingJudkins]

The bright side is that it is more like a late 2nd than a 3rd (and we likely will have back to back picks).

No, it's a third-round compensatory pick, which means it comes after the regular third round.

[celts55]

I know he does what he does, and it always seems to work out, but this one really gets me. I think he's one of the best linebackers in the game. Must be something going on i don't know about.

[PhoSita]

I know he does what he does, and it always seems to work out, but this one really gets me. I think he's one of the best linebackers in the game. Must be something going on i don't know about.

Apparently he was asking for a contract the Pats knew they were never going to give him.

So hey, just throw this year out the window, right?  No value in keeping a guy for this season and letting him walk.  Not as though the Pats have a limited window of Super Bowl contention or anything like that.

A third round pick!  You can't say no to that.

[BitterJim]

I know he does what he does, and it always seems to work out, but this one really gets me. I think he's one of the best linebackers in the game. Must be something going on i don't know about.

Apparently he was asking for a contract the Pats knew they were never going to give him.

So hey, just throw this year out the window, right?  No value in keeping a guy for this season and letting him walk.  Not as though the Pats have a limited window of Super Bowl contention or anything like that.

A third round pick!  You can't say no to that.

It gets worse: we would have gotten a 2018 compensatory pick (likely 3rd round) if we let him go at the end of the year.  This literally makes no sense unless there is more to it (and even then...)

[Cman]

I know he does what he does, and it always seems to work out, but this one really gets me. I think he's one of the best linebackers in the game. Must be something going on i don't know about.

Apparently he was asking for a contract the Pats knew they were never going to give him.

So hey, just throw this year out the window, right?  No value in keeping a guy for this season and letting him walk.  Not as though the Pats have a limited window of Super Bowl contention or anything like that.

A third round pick!  You can't say no to that.

And to think that by letting him walk and sign elsewhere for big money, the Pats would have likely gotten a 3rd round compensatory pick anyway....

I'm totally shocked by this trade. I guess we'll see more Elandon Roberts. And probably more of Barkevious Mingo.

[Cman]

Hey, you know what, when you have a very good chance at being the best team in your conference, if not the league, the right thing to do is trade one of your most talented defensive players for a pick.

Who needs linebackers to win games, anyway?

You can never have enough 2nd and 3rd round picks that are destined to become backup offensive linesmen and busted cornerbacks.

I hear you, and I hate the trade, but what Bill has done with 2nd round picks probably washes out as "above normal" when you consider he got Rob Gronkowski and Wes Welker for 2nd round picks.

[PhoSita]

Hey, you know what, when you have a very good chance at being the best team in your conference, if not the league, the right thing to do is trade one of your most talented defensive players for a pick.

Who needs linebackers to win games, anyway?

You can never have enough 2nd and 3rd round picks that are destined to become backup offensive linesmen and busted cornerbacks.

I hear you, and I hate the trade, but what Bill has done with 2nd round picks probably washes out as "above normal" when you consider he got Rob Gronkowski and Wes Welker for 2nd round picks.

I know you're right.  I just can't agree with the notion of trading a guy in a year when the Super Bowl is a significant possibility.  Maybe Collins was not playing up to his talent lately, and he was probably going to walk, but I think when your superstar QB is pushing 40 you have to take your chances when you get them.

[Eja117]

I like the part where he beats up on the Ravens and Steelers every year for us rather than landing in our division, or possibly on a major rival like the Broncos or something

[Cman]

Hey, you know what, when you have a very good chance at being the best team in your conference, if not the league, the right thing to do is trade one of your most talented defensive players for a pick.

Who needs linebackers to win games, anyway?

You can never have enough 2nd and 3rd round picks that are destined to become backup offensive linesmen and busted cornerbacks.

I hear you, and I hate the trade, but what Bill has done with 2nd round picks probably washes out as "above normal" when you consider he got Rob Gronkowski and Wes Welker for 2nd round picks.

I know you're right.  I just can't agree with the notion of trading a guy in a year when the Super Bowl is a significant possibility.  Maybe Collins was not playing up to his talent lately, and he was probably going to walk, but I think when your superstar QB is pushing 40 you have to take your chances when you get them.

Yep, I totally agree with you.
Who's next, Hightower? Butler? Edelman? Brady???

[tarheelsxxiii]

Such is the Patriot way.  He would've cost $15 mil to franchise tag next year, and they just don't pay any one not named Tom.  I'm sure we will draft a 5'8" white guy that: a) performs 80% of Collins function, b) returns punts, c) plays a few snaps per year at CB or QB, etc.

[kozlodoev]

Bummer, though - I liked Collins and thought the decision was already made when we sent off Jones to Arizona. The hard cap in the NFL is really a pain in the butt.

We should have known back then this wouldn't be enough. I mean, we still need to sign Hightower, Butler, and Logan Ryan.