The Browns have traded a third- or fourth-round draft pick to the New England Patriots for Pro Bowl linebacker Jamie Collins, a source familiar with the deal confirmed Monday for the Beacon Journal. The Browns later announced the deal.
If the Browns receive a compensatory selection in the third round next year, it'll go to the Patriots. If not, they'll surrender a fourth-round choice to New England.
Collins, 27, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2016 season.
The Boston Globe cited a source who said the Patriots were "having a lot of trouble" negotiating a long-term contract with Collins, who turned down $11 million per year from New England. If the Browns can't reach a long-term contract with Collins, he would be a candidate for their franchise tag, which is projected to be worth about $15 million for a linebacker.
"We are always looking for ways to improve our roster by acquiring talent and the trade deadline sometimes grants you that opportunity," Browns head of football operations Sashi Brown said in a news release. "Jamie Collins is a talented-tough-young-playmaker that our coaches and personnel staff think he can be a great fit for our defense. We feel really good about being able to add him to our team and look forward to getting him into our building and having him work with our coaches."
Bus Cook, Collins' agent, told NFL Network, "I spoke to him. He's excited about getting over there [to the Browns]. The thinking is, 'If [the Patriots] don't want me, go someplace that does.' "
In four seasons, Collins has started 41 of the 50 regular-season games in which he has appeared, compiling 291 tackles, 10.5 sacks, five interceptions, 10 forced fumbles and 16 passes defensed.
He has started six of seven games this season and racked up 43 tackles and one sack to go along with two interceptions and a forced fumble. ProFootballFocus.com ranks Collins ninth among 87 linebackers this season.
"Jamie Collins is a really good football player and we're excited to be able to add a player like him to our team," Browns coach Hue Jackson said in a release. "He's played at an extremely high level with toughness and playmaking ability for his entire career. We look forward to him being an important piece of our defense. The plan is for him to come in and learn our system quickly so he can make an immediate impact."
Collins made his first Pro Bowl last season, when he had 89 tackles, 5.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and an interception.
The Patriots drafted Collins, 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, in the second round (No. 52 overall) out of Southern Mississippi in 2013.
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