The New England Patriots will be welcoming a few familiar faces back to Foxboro in 2019 in Benjamin Watson and Jamie Collins.
And in the eyes of a former NFL agent, Collins has a lot to prove.
Following a shocking trade to the Cleveland Browns in 2016, Collins has yet to return to the form he displayed for stretches during his time with the Patriots. But Collins returned to New England on a one-year deal this offseason and already is impressing some Patriots coaches.
Joel Corry, the ex-agent, created a list for CBS Sports of the 10 players who have the most to prove this season.
Collins landed on the list and here’s Corry’s reasoning.
“Collins found out the grass isn’t always greener on the other side during his two-and-a-half seasons with the Browns. The only thing greener for Collins’s stint in Cleveland is his wallet. He made $27 million from the four-year deal he signed in January 2017 before his release in March.
Collins has returned to the Patriots on a one-year, $2 million deal containing an additional $2 million in incentives. He played his best football with the Patriots, earning All-Pro honors in 2015. Collins has reportedly made a great impression since returning to New England, who drafted him in 2013’s second round before trading him to the Browns during the middle of the 2016 season.”
Especially with the departure of Trey Flowers, the front seven is an interesting area for the Patriots this season. But if Collins can make an impact in his second stint with the Patriots, Bill Belichick will look like a genius for organizing the reunion.
