BEREA, Ohio _ Pro Bowl linebacker Jamie Collins admitted he was surprised when the New England Patriots traded him to the Browns and didn't understand the move.
He also insisted it took him just 10 minutes to get over the shock.
"I'm on to Cleveland," Collins quipped Wednesday, borrowing a line from Patriots coach Bill Belichick as he wrapped up his first interview with local media.
Collins, 27, has indeed moved on to the Browns, but for how long is a fascinating question. He's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March and will command a lucrative contract.
The Browns are armed with about $50 million in salary-cap space and want to re-sign Collins after trading what's expected to be a third-round compensatory draft pick in 2017 to the Patriots on Monday.
But is Collins open minded about potentially signing with the Browns, who are 0-8 as they prepare to host the 6-1 Dallas Cowboys on Sunday?
"I mean it is what it is. I'm here now," Collins replied. "So this is my home for right now. I'm going to play like this is my home. This is my focus."
Does he feel like he's auditioning for the rest of the league in the final eight games?
"Yeah, that's what we do," Collins answered. "That's every player anyway. I'm good with that, too. I'm just blessed to be in the position I'm in."
Collins denied the Boston Globe's report that he turned down a contract offer from the Patriots worth $11 million a year.
"I didn't get anything," he said.
He also shot down a report from ESPN that he was asking at one point for "Von Miller money." Miller, a superstar edge rusher for the Denver Broncos, makes about $19 million a year.
"I don't know nothing about Von Miller money. Nothing," Collins said. "It never came out of my mouth, never. I'm not Von Miller. Just so you know. Let's be smart. Let's all have some common sense."
If the Browns can't reach a contract extension with Collins, they could place their franchise tag on him to secure him for another season at a cost of about $15 million.
"We just want to get it right (by winning), and he's part of the process to helping us get it right," coach Hue Jackson said. "We welcome him with open arms, and he's also letting us in. It goes both ways, and we're going to see if we can make this a good marriage."
Apparently one thing the Browns have going for them in their courting of Collins is they have given him a family vibe, he said, on a " different level" than the Patriots did. He added his conversations with Jackson have been "positive and helpful."
"It's a family around here, definitely," Collins said. "You can talk to anyone around here, any of these guys. They're close. You're going to feel welcome."
He stressed he's not going to have a problem transitioning from a Super Bowl contender to the league's only winless team.
"I'm not worried about the organization coming from New England to here," Collins said. "That's not me."
In Collins' final season at Southern Mississippi before the Patriots drafted him in the second round in 2013, the Golden Eagles went 0-12.
"I know how to handle the situation," he said. "Situations occur all the time. I'm up for the challenge. I done been here before, so this is really no big deal."
Now Collins faces another type of adversity because former Patriots executive and Browns general manager Mike Lombardi has launched a smear campaign against him since the trade.
Lombardi appeared on the Bill Simmons Podcast on Monday and Boston radio station WEEI on Tuesday to declare Belichick traded Collins not because his contract is set to expire soon, but because he hasn't played well this season and he freelances too much on defense.
Lombardi called Collins "very talented, but very moody, very inconsistent with his effort" during his interview with Bill Simmons.
Belichick was asked Wednesday in a news conference for his thoughts about outsiders assuming Lombardi's comments about Collins reflect the opinions of the Patriots.
"Look, Mike is one of the smartest people that I know," Belichick said. "He's one of the smartest people I've worked with and he was a huge asset to me for the two years (2014-15) that he was here. Mike is a smart guy and he studies football and he knows it very well I would say on probably all teams. So you talk to Mike."
Regardless, Collins said he believes he played at a high level for the Patriots this season after making his first career Pro Bowl last year.
Did he freelance too much?
"I don't know," he said. "That's what the coaches do. I just come out here, and I do what I've got to do. It's not my job to trade anyone."
He also said, "I'm a workaholic. I'm going to give you what I've got every game, every day."
Collins started at outside linebacker in the Patriots' 4-3 scheme and said he'll fit in wherever the Browns put him in their 3-4, multifront system. They intend to use him as an outside linebacker in their base defense and could move him inside in the nickel package.
The Browns are thrilled to have him. When they studied him on game film before they faced the Patriots on Oct. 9, they were blown away.
"When we were watching it, my first thought was, 'That dude, he's a heck of a player,' " quarterback Josh McCown said. "He's one of the better players in the NFL, in my opinion, on defense because he's just so versatile."
Browns nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas added, "He's obviously a huge steal for us. To be able to find a linebacker that can cover tight ends and running backs on third down is really key and he can also play on first and second down because he's a physical linebacker."
