Commanders Rumors: Landon Collins Contract Restructure Eyed by WSH Ahead of FA

The Washington Commanders are looking to restructure Landon Collins' contract ahead of free agency, according to The Athletic's Ben Standig.

Collins has three years remaining on his six-year, $84 million contract. He has a $16.2 million cap hit for the 2022 season.

This news doesn't necessarily come as a surprise after ESPN's Jeremy Fowler listed Collins as an "under-the-radar" trade candidate for Washington this offseason:

"When a big-money player changes positions, that's usually not a good sign, though Collins' switch from safety to linebacker actually maximizes his skill set. He's best around the ball and is still a productive player. But Washington can save $11.5 million in salary and $6.6 million on the cap by releasing him, so if that's a consideration, working on a trade is the sensible first move. Another factor is that the Ron Rivera regime didn't sign Collins. That makes it easier to walk away."

Collins was a second-round draft pick of the New York Giants in 2015. He spent four seasons with the franchise before signing with Washington ahead of the 2019 season.

The 28-year-old was a three-time Pro Bowler in New York, recording eight interceptions, 32 passes defended, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, four sacks and 437 tackles in 59 games across four seasons.

However, Collins has struggled since joining the Commanders. In 35 career games with the franchise, he has recorded just three interceptions, seven passes defended, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, six sacks and 239 tackles.

The safety has struggled mightily in coverage, and he even missed most of the 2020 season with an Achilles injury.

If the Commanders can restructure Collins' contract, it will give them more cap space to re-sign players and pursue others via trade or free agency. It's no question Washington is in the market for a quarterback, and they could be gearing up for a run to sign one.

Washington has not had a winning season since 2016 and hasn't made it past the wild-card round since the 2005 campaign. At this point, it'll do anything it can to free up some cap space to pursue some of the best players available.