Giants 2023 UFA Primer: S/LB Landon Collins
Feature (Series) - February 9, 2023
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In his rookie campaign with the Giants, Collins was named the starting free safety after the departure of several defensive veterans to free agency and tallied 112 tackles, one forced fumble, one interception, and nine passes batted to receive a PFWA All-Rookie Team honor in 2015.
His next three seasons with Big Blue saw resumes of at least 96 tackles, four sacks, two fumbles, seven interceptions, and a defensive touchdown. Still, the front office elected to part ways with the safety instead of forking out a huge contract to retain him.
Shifting down the east coast to Washington with his new lucrative deal, Collins’ tenure with the Redskins would be met only by consecutive injuries that limited his time on the field and brought questions to the massive payday the organization invested in him. After having his third 100+ tackle season in 2019, Collins suffered a torn Achilles in 2020 and a foot ailment in 2021, cutting his appearances to 20 contests and production significantly en route to a post-June 1 release that summer.
Scouring the market for rentals amid injuries to players like Xavier McKinney in the secondary, the Giants brought back their former second-round pick to offer depth to their defense during a late-season push to the playoffs. That rental has ended, and it’s up to the front office to decide if they will invest in a familiar face this time around.