After trading for Carson Wentz, the Washington Commanders are forced into performing financial gymnastics.
It comes with the territory of trading for a veteran starter with years of experience under his belt, but it now puts Washington in a bind on the cap front, as they went from boasting $33 million in cap space to just $5 million.
As expected, the accounting process got underway on Thursday, as reports indicate Washington is expected to release Landon Collins after negotiations about a potential restructure fell through. The team held out hope Collins would take a pay cut after switching positions, but he understandably declined.
As a result, the Commanders pulled the plug and salvaged $6.9 million in cap space in the process. It’s an expected move, but the front office will be hard-pressed to replace the versatility Collins offered as a hybrid linebacker.
Luckily for Collins, there’s no shortage of teams in the market for a player with his skillet. It’s unclear what kind of contract he’s looking for, but the following teams qualify as potential destinations for the newly-minted free agent.
3 landing spots for Landon Collins after Commanders release
3. New England Patriots
We never thought we’d say this, but the Bill Belichick-led Patriots have bigger needs on defense than offense. Yes, they’re still searching for a No. 1 receiver, but with JC Jackson, Dont’a Hightower, Devin McCourty and Jamie Collins all set to hit free agency, Belichick and Co. have serious work to do this offseason.
Where does Collins come in? Well, the Pats’ linebacker outlook for 2022 is a certified wasteland. As we just alluded to, Hightower and Collins are both out of a contract. As is the underrated Ja’Whaun Bentley, who started 29 games and played 71 percent of the snaps as an inside linebacker over the last two seasons.
Additionally, the Patriots just released Kyle Van Noy, who did a little bit of everything as an off-ball linebacker in 2021, recording 66 tackles, five sacks, 10 passes defended, seven quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and an interception.
If there’s a defensive mind in the NFL who can figure out how to maximize Collins’ potential, which is a legitimate playmaker on an elite defense, it’s Belichick. However, the Patriots currently have just $13.4 million in cap space and Collins’ demands could throw a wrench into potential negotiations.
Having just turned 28 in January, though, Collins should consider signing a one- or two-year contract on the cheaper side. If he exceeds expectations, he’ll have the chance to sign one last lucrative deal as an NFL player.
2. Denver Broncos
After the Broncos acquired Russell Wilson from the Seahawks despite getting outbid by the Commanders, the last thing this fan base needs is to watch Collins join Denver’s hyper-aggressive pursuit of a championship.
Alas, we’re not going to let that doomsday scenario prevent us from acknowledging Collins’ evident fit with the Broncos. Now that Denver paved over their QB hole, addressing the linebacker position should be next up on the agenda.
After all, Alexander Johnson, Kenny Young, Josey Jewell and Micah Kiser are all set to become free agents. To put their importance into perspective, Johnson and Young played 89 and 83 percent of the snaps last season. A torn pec cost Jewell all but two games, but he started 16 games and played 93 percent of the snaps in 2020.
Expect the Broncos to be proactive in both free agency and the draft with adding a linebacker. While 2021 draft choices Baron Browning and Justin Strnad have shown promise, a player with Collins’ experience would go a long way towards helping Denver’s defense maintain its championship ceiling.
While they could reunite with Von Miller in free agency, the Broncos also have a lot of questions about their pass rush after trading the former Super Bowl MVP to the Rams mid-season and Bradley Chubb struggling to stay healthy.
Luckily for Denver, Collins has a knack for generating pressure on QBs.
1. Dallas Cowboys
It happens all the time in the NFL: A team releases a player on a bloated contract only to see said player turned around and join a division rival.
Look no further than the Seahawks’ shocking release of Bobby Wagner. Just hours later, it was reported the other NFC West teams (the Rams, Cardinals and 49ers) are expected to show interest in the all-world linebacker.
When it comes to Collins, the Cowboys have a glaring hole at linebacker. With Leighton Vander Esch and Keanu Neal set to hit free agency, and 2021 fourth-rounder Jabril Cox on the mend from ACL surgery, Dallas could be on the hunt to find rookie sensation Micah Parsons a proper running mate this offseason.
Enter Collins, who could fill the Neal role in Dan Quinn’s defense. A safety by trade, the Cowboys converted Neal to a weakside linebacker last year. At 6-foot and 218 pounds, Collins has a similar build to the 6-foot, 211-pound Neal and he could step right in to an off-ball role next to Parsons.
We’d even say Collins could execute the role better than Neal, who finished last season with a 35.9 player grade from PFF. While Collins’ 54.7 grade is nothing to write home about, he earned a 82.5 run-defense grade and a 74.0 pass-rush grade, which is exactly what he’d be paid to do as a box LB under Quinn.
Dallas is currently short on cap space, but that could change in a hurry if they cut DeMarcus Lawrence and Amari Copper, and trade La’el Collins.