Howe: Don't See How Trading Collins Makes Patriots Better In Long Run
BOSTON (CBS) -- Bill Belichick pulled off another surprising move on Monday, trading linebacker Jamie Collins to the Cleveland Browns for a future draft pick.
It's a move that many are having a tough time digesting, curious as to why Belichick would trade one of the team's best defensive players without adding anything to help the current team. The Boston Herald's Jeff Howe joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich on Tuesday morning to try to explain things, and is having a difficult time himself figuring this one out.
"He wasn't living up to some of the great expectations we all had for him; I picked him to win Defensive Player of the Year, and I fell flat on that one. Still, he was good-to-very-good, and probably at worst he was your third best defensive player on the team," Howe said of Collins. "You're removing one of the best defensive players on the team and you're a defense that, right now, is missing that electric play. Is Collins part of that problem? Maybe, maybe not. It depends on how you look at it. I just don't see how getting rid of this guy will make you any better in the long run."
There was some speculation that Collins may have been a bad influence in the locker room, given his contract status and his tendency to freelance out on the field, but Howe has never heard any complaints from other players on that front.
"I've asked questions like this all season long and never heard anyone raising an issue with their contract in the locker room. Unless I'm being universally lied to, they do a pretty good job at keeping their business at home," said Howe. "I've never heard a bad thing about Jamie Collins from his teammates. They all loved him, watching him in practice and in games. He's not the type of guy who would go into the locker room and raise that kind of stink. He's a quiet, reserved guy who goes about things in his own way."
Howe said Collins freelancing shouldn't have been a major issue (not one that would get him shipped off to Cleveland), because more times than not he was in position to make a play.
"That's what he does. You take the good with the bad there," said Howe. "He definitely has missed tackles, but I don't think that's why you trade a guy at this point in the season when he's one of your best players.
"Ty Law freelanced a lot too and nobody really complained about that," added Howe.
As for who steps up in Collins' place, Howe points to rookie Elandon Roberts, who has surprised even the Patriots' coaching staff with his play over the last few weeks.
"He's been pretty damn good. I've been really impressed with Roberts and I love his decisiveness of getting to the line on running plays. He really has a good knack for read and recognition. He sees it and attacks the line; I really like that about him," said Howe. "He's been a total shock, one of their best rookies so far. A real diamond in the rough as someone who came out of nowhere and has been fantastic. His rise has been surprising to the coaching staff too because he was a healthy scratch twice in the season before gaining a little bit of a role in Week 4 and he's blossomed since."
Listen to Toucher & Rich's full interview with Jeff Howe in the podcast below:
