The Miami Dolphins desperately need some help in their pass rush. It’s evidenced not just by the depth chart but also by the team’s recent swell of free agent visits. Yesterday alone Miami hosted veterans Connor Barwin and Nate Orchard — the team is finalizing a deal with Orchard and he is expected to sign in the very near future.
The most accomplished pass rusher left on the market as of yesterday morning was former Browns and Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins — who has experience in Brian Flores’ multiple defense courtesy of three years in New England.
Yet the Dolphins never seemed to show any interest — and now they won’t get the chance. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport is reporting that Collins will sign with the Patriots once again and return to his roots.
The Patriots shipped Collins away for draft capital back in 2016 and, after a two year absence, will welcome Collins back to the program — the latest example of the Patriots’ cold, calculated business approach to player assets paying off for them. This approach is something the Dolphins would be well to pull inspiration from going forward — don’t get attached and pay silly money for the sake of nostalgia.
Or perhaps Miami already has that page in their playbook — and that’s why they didn’t pursue Collins. The financials of any deal are not immediately available, but perhaps the Dolphins felt Collins’ best football was behind him and that his addition would be counterproductive to their building efforts.
It’s hard to say, although expect a strong season from Collins now that he’s back with the defensive genius Bill Belichick. Hopefully the Dolphins can find their own adequate response to fill the vacancy in their own defense anyway.
