The free agent safety market just got even deeper. The New York Giants won't be using their franchise tag on safety Landon Collins, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
The Giants “love the player but view the tag number as too high,” Rapoport reports. It's the culmination of a lot of drama between the two sides.
Collins drew a ton of media attention a couple of weeks ago when he cleaned out his locker at the Giants' facility. His move indicated he didn't plan on playing for the Giants in 2019, but reports quickly surfaced that the Giants would likely tag him.
That didn't turn out to be the case. Many expected there to be a prolonged contract battle between the two sides, but the team apparently prefers to wipe their hands and let him walk clean. There were rumors as far back as last year that the Giants' new coaching staff and front office wasn't quite as high on Collins as the previous regime in New York, but this is still somewhat of a surprise.
The Giants reportedly turned down an offer from the Buccaneers of a third-round pick for Collins shortly before the trade deadline. The franchise tag for safeties would've paid him just north of $20 million.
Collins now becomes one of the biggest names on the market and should have a ton of suitors. It's not very often that a 25-year-old player of his caliber hits the market, after all.
Collins was the 33rd overall pick in 2015, becoming an immediate star in the Big Apple. He's made the Pro Bowl each of the last three season and was first-team All-Pro in 2016. It'll be very interesting to see what type of contract he lands when the market opens.
Follow Us
Subscribe