Jamie Collins thanked the Browns on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon. His time in Cleveland had predictably come to an end.
The starting strongside linebacker was released four days after his agent, Bus Cook, met with general manager John Dorsey over the weekend to discuss the player's future at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.
The Browns announced they had terminated Collins' contract shortly after he hinted at the move by expressing gratitude to the franchise on social media.
"We want to thank Jamie for his contributions to the Cleveland Browns," Dorsey said in a news release. "These types of decisions are never easy. Jamie is a respected veteran player in this league and we wish him the best as he continues his career."
Collins was scheduled to make $10.5 million this year. He never met the expectations tied to the four-year, $50 million contract extension he signed in 2017, when Dorsey's predecessor, Sashi Brown, led the organization's football operations. The deal included $26.4 million guaranteed.
By cutting Collins, the Browns saved $9.25 million in salary-cap space. They're in position to enter free agency on March 13 with about $80 million in cap room.
Linebacker is among the team's top needs as it transitions to new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
Starters Joe Schobert (middle) and Christian Kirksey (weak side) are under contract, but the group lacks another player with full-time starting experience and quality depth. Even if Genard Avery, who started five games as a rookie fifth-round draft pick last season, were ready to become an every-down defender, Dorsey would likely seek reinforcements in free agency and/or the April 25-27 draft.
The Browns traded a 2017 third-round pick to the New England Patriots for Collins on Oct. 31, 2016. Injuries limited him to only six games in 2017, when he compiled 31 tackles, a sack, three passes defensed, an interception and a forced fumble before suffering a season-ending torn medial collateral ligament his right knee that required surgery. He started all 16 games in 2018 and compiled a team-high 104 tackles to go along with four sacks, one interception, four passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
But Collins was repeatedly criticized by fans and media for lacking hustle and effort at times, and Dorsey admitted the problem existed.
"I mean, there was some inconsistencies," Dorsey said last week at the combine. "You don't know what leads to it. He may have been nicked. There's certain things that come. All I know is he's a very talented football player, and you can't have enough of those guys on your team."
Collins, who will turn 30 on Oct. 20, is talented, but his skill didn't often translate to the field the way the Browns hoped it would. A 2013 second-round pick of the Patriots from the University of Southern Mississippi, Collins made the 2015 Pro Bowl and won Super Bowl XLIX, yet he never came close to excelling with the Browns.
