It’s a reunion in New York. On Thursday, CBS Sports NFL Insider Josina Anderson reported free agent safety Landon Collins is signing with the New York Giants. The former Giants star will also travel to London to be around his new teammates as they take on the Green Bay Packers Sunday.
Collins was originally a second-round pick of the Giants back in 2015 out of Alabama. The strong safety found pretty immediate success at the next level, and was named a First Team All-Pro and Pro Bowler in his second NFL season, as he recorded a career-high 125 combined tackles, four sacks, five interceptions, 13 passes defensed and nine tackles for loss. Collins was named a Pro Bowler in each of the next two seasons as well, which allowed him to cash in after his rookie deal.
In 2019, Collins signed a six-year, $84 million deal with the Washington franchise, which he was a fan of as a youth. He took joining the former rival seriously, as Collins even refused to mention the Giants by name during a summer radio interview in 2019 after signing with his new team.
Unfortunately for Collins, he didn’t find the kind of success he and Washington hoped for. Collins recorded 117 combined tackles and one sack in his first season with Washington, and then struggled with injuries over the next two years. Ron Rivera actually moved Collins to a linebacker hybrid role in 2021, but then ultimately made the decision to release him this offseason — halfway through his six-year deal.
Now 28, Collins will likely play a different role in Wink Martindale’s defense than he did during his first go-around with the Giants. New York has Julian Love and Xavier McKinney at safety, but Collins is a versatile piece who could play a few snaps in the slot, or even step in as the hybrid linebacker he played in Washington.
