Tom Brady already has reunited with two former teammates this offseason, and it appears another is on deck.
Less than a week after the Patriots swayed Benjamin Watson out of retirement, news broke that New England is in talks with Jamie Collins and is “likely” to sign the veteran linebacker. Collins, a second-round pick in 2013, played the first three-plus seasons of his NFL career with the Patriots.
It didn’t take Patriots players very long to express their excitement over the reported Collins signing. Dont’a Hightower took to Twitter to react to the news, and Brady followed suit on Instagram.
Collins’ role — should he be signed and crack the 53-man roster — with the Patriots’ remains to be seen. New England likely would look for the 29-year-old to provide depth at inside linebacker as well as aid the pass rush. Collins almost certainly wouldn’t be an every-down player in his return to Foxboro, but his familiarity with New England’s system should allow him to make a legitimate impact.
