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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots and free agent linebacker Jamie Collins are working on a deal that will bring Collins back for a third stint with the team, a source told ESPN’s Field Yates.
Collins was released by the Detroit Lions on September 28 after the team could not find a business partner for him.
He entered the NFL as the Patriots second-round pick in 2013, was traded to the Cleveland Browns in 2016, then returned to play for the club in 2019. Collins had signed a three-year contract with the Lions as as a free agent in 2020.
The Patriots are expected to place reserve defensive lineman Henry Anderson on the injured reserve to make room on the Collins roster. Anderson suffered a chest injury in Sunday night’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to the team.
Collins joins a linebacking corps that includes veterans Dont’a Hightower and Kyle Van Noy. In 2019, while playing together in New England, Collins gave them the nickname “The Boogeymen”.
Collins, 31, should be able to contribute quickly given his familiarity with the team’s system.
The Patriots dealt with linebacker injuries, having lost Raekwon McMillan to an ACL tear in the preseason, and inside linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley missed Sunday’s game with shoulder disease . They’ve called linebacker Jahlani Tavai from the practice squad each of the past two weeks, and now Collins can help fill that void.
Meanwhile, the Patriots placed starting left tackle Isaiah Wynn and starting left guard Mike Onwenu on the reserve / COVID-19 roster on Tuesday. While there’s a chance they’ll play in Sunday’s road game against the Houston Texans, the team will open practice this week with two different players protecting the blind side of quarterback Mac Jones.
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