GREEN BAY — The NFL offseason may be more interesting than the regular season for Green Bay Packers fans.
Landon Collins, another young NFL star player, will hit the free agent market March 13 after the New York Giants decided not to use the franchise tag on him.
relationships I have built in the building and in my community. Now on to the next chapter.... pic.twitter.com/nc9rhcqLKm
— LANDON COLLINS (@TheHumble_21) March 5, 2019
This move has many people wondering what the Giants are thinking.
Collins, 25, is a three-time Pro Bowl selection and was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2016. According to Ian Rapoport, the Giants believe the price to franchise tag a safety ($11.15 million) is too high.
The Giants have about $25 million in cap space, but their general manager said he wants to keep "$8-10 million" in case of an injury. Using this logic, GM Dave Gettleman is banking on an injury instead of re-signing his best defensive player.
This situation is similar to last season's Khalil Mack saga in Oakland. Jon Gruden, the Raiders' GM and coach, did not want to pay Mack, so the Chicago Bears swooped in and acquired arguably the best defensive player in the league.
Will the Packers take advantage of New York's perceived mistake?
Wonder if the #Packers are pulling for Landon Collins to hit the market... https://t.co/s36AAOJfBx
— Michael Cohen (@Michael_Cohen13) March 5, 2019
The Packers need an upgrade at safety, and Collins fits the role.
According to NFL.com, Collins is the only player in the league with at least 400 tackles and 30 passes defensed since 2015. He is also the only safety in the league to record at least 95 tackles in each of the last four seasons.
Current safety Tramon Williams is 35 years old. He had 40 tackles last season and no interceptions. Josh Jones and Kentrell Brice are young but nowhere near Collins' level.
Adding Collins not only benefits the competition but also would assist in the development of the other young defensive backs.
With two first-round picks in a defensive-skilled draft and nearly $40 million in cap space to possibly acquire Collins, the Packers defense could be miles ahead of where it was last season in September.
