Jamie Collins Released by Lions After Team Failed to Find Trade for LB

The Detroit Lions announced on Tuesday that they have released linebacker Jamie Collins.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported last week that the Lions were looking into trading Collins:

Collins was benched for Detroit's 17-16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday, as Derrick Barnes started and split time with Jalen Reeves-Maybin, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell told reporters Monday that the team was still looking into a trade.

"We’re still working on it right now," he said. "That’s still in the works."

Per Birkett, Campbell had said last Thursday that the Lions had "suitors" for Collins and were hoping to have a trade done "sooner than later."

However, it appears the Lions didn't find any takers, leading to Collins becoming a free agent.

Per Over the Cap, Collins entered 2021 in the second season of a three-year, $30 million deal that includes voidable years from 2023-25 as part of a restructuring.

Jeff Risdon of Lions Wire provided more information on the move last March:

"Collins converted $7.925M of his 2021 salary and bonuses into a straight signing bonus.

"The maneuver clears $6.34M of cap space in 2021 for the Lions. To help avoid swallowing a bigger poison pill, the Lions added three voidable seasons to the end of the contract.

"It will cost the team dead cap money during those years, but the expected rise of the cap makes that much more palatable than stuffing it all into 2021. The 2023-2025 seasons void automatically."

Ultimately, this didn't turn out to be a great deal for the Lions, who are parting ways after just 16 games, per ESPN's Bill Barnwell:

Collins is in his ninth NFL season. He's had two stints with the New England Patriots (2013-16, 2019), and those buffered a run with the Cleveland Browns from 2016-18. He joined the Lions in 2020.

The 31-year-old led the league with five forced fumbles in 2015, his lone Pro Bowl year. He has had 100 or more tackles in four years and registered a career-high seven sacks in 2019.

Entering the season, Collins had 676 tackles (435 solo, 241 assisted), 50 quarterback hits, 25.5 sacks, 19 forced fumbles, 36 pass breakups and 11 interceptions. He's added 10 tackles this year.

The Pats selected the former Southern Miss star with the No. 52 overall pick in the 2013 draft.