Patriots Trade Rumors: NE Has Had 'Internal Discussions' on Jamie Collins Deal

The New England Patriots are looking for defensive help and apparently are interested in bringing back a key former player. 

According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, the Patriots have had "internal discussions" about trading for Cleveland Browns linebacker Jamie Collins. The 29-year-old spent parts of four seasons with New England before being dealt to Cleveland in the middle of the 2016 season.

Collins was one of the team's best defensive players before the trade, leading the Patriots with 138 tackles in 2014. He earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2015 despite playing just 12 games.

With the linebacker approaching free agency after the 2016 season, however, he was traded to Cleveland for a third-round pick. The Browns decided to keep him on the roster after agreeing to a four-year, $50 million extension.

New England now wants him back with the defense entering Week 8 ranked 25th in yards allowed and 19th in points allowed.

It's not yet known whether the Browns would be willing to make a deal, but they are 2-5-1 after a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. A trade could result in additional draft picks as the organization continues its rebuild.