Landon Collins' Locker Situation 'Way More Drama' Than Reality, per Pat Shurmur

New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur addressed the media Wednesday and downplayed a report regarding safety Landon Collins cleaning out his locker last week.

According to NFL Network's Kimberly Jones, Shurmur called the speculation that came from that story "way more drama than actually happened." The team's second-year head coach also noted that Collins has continued rehabbing his rotator cuff injury with the Giants.

On Feb. 20, ESPN's Josina Anderson reported that Collins cleaned out his locker at the team facility and "said his goodbyes to teammates, coaches and trainers." That led to speculation that Collins' time with the G-Men was nearing its conclusion.

Collins can become an unrestricted free agent when free agency opens March 13 if the Giants don't re-sign, franchise-tag or transition-tag him before then.

Since entering the NFL as a second-round pick out of Alabama in 2015, Collins has been one of the league's best safeties. He has been named a Pro Bowler in each of the past three seasons, and he received an All-Pro first-team nod in 2016.

Despite missing four games last season due to a torn rotator cuff, Collins finished with a team-leading 96 tackles, although he did not record an interception for the first time in his career.

The New Orleans native was at his best in 2016, as he did it all for a dominant Giants defense with 125 tackles, five interceptions and four sacks, all of which were career highs.

While Collins' production dropped in lockstep with the Giants' overall team success falling off, he still managed 99 tackles with two interceptions in 2017.

If the Giants let him walk, the 25-year-old will be one of the best free-agent safeties, along with Earl Thomas and Tyrann Mathieu, and it can be argued that he is in line to be one of the best overall free agents in a class that is heavy on defensive talent.

A return to the Giants may not be out of the question given Shurmur's comments, but if Collins does hit the open market, look for the Kansas City Chiefs to be a player for his services since they hired former Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo as their defensive coordinator in January.