Sign the Beast LXIX: La'el Collins - do the Pats have a shot if he is cleared?

Mike Loyko ‏@NEPD_Loyko 3m3 minutes ago
#Patriots are interested in La'El Collins an have reached out per @nick_underhill and @DellengerAdv

Apparently he can play at CB after all.

Haley said:

Apparently he can play at CB after all.

Click to expand...

Nope - Belichick heard back from the Navy and then figured out La'el can also play long snapper...

SlowGettingUp said:

Mike Loyko ‏@NEPD_Loyko 3m3 minutes ago
#Patriots are interested in La'El Collins an have reached out per @nick_underhill and @DellengerAdv

Click to expand...

SlowGettingUp said:

Mike Loyko ‏@NEPD_Loyko 3m3 minutes ago
#Patriots are interested in La'El Collins an have reached out per @nick_underhill and @DellengerAdv

Click to expand...

With the Omissioner's blessing I have no doubt.

Very interesting that the Pats have expressed interest. It would be a steal, talent-wise, to get him. Looks like the AFCE is all in on La'el Collins.

I would love them to get him, but I still think he will end up going to a team with a clear and immediate tackle need.

1) I see no reason for Collins not to make LOTS of money if he is cleared. This is a matter of structuring a contract with a large bonus for being on the 53 man roster or for playing Game One.

2) There will be a bidding war if he is cleared. He might end up getting much more than if someone drafted him at a discounted point in the draft.

3) The NFL could still step in and allow him to be in the Supplementary Draft. I would think that someone would give a 2016 first for him if he is cleared.

If we don't sign Collins and he signs with someone else from our division, we know we have the man that can beat him because he's beaten him in both the passing game and the running game already.


"He (Trey Flowers) posted a class-best 46 hurries including three of the four pressures that La’el Collins of LSU surrendered in the entire season."


https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/04/30/cff-overview-edge-top-of-the-crop/


"Flowers is lined up as the right defensive end opposite of one of the premier tackle prospects in this year’s draft, La’el Collins. Flowers gets off the ball quickly and resets the line of scrimmage two yards behind the line of scrimmage against LSU’s zone run. Flowers quickly fires his hands into Collins to initiate the contact. From there, Flowers keeps his legs driving and extends his arms to create separation between himself and Collins, which allows him to easily disengage and make the tackle at the line of scrimmage. Even though Flowers is much smaller, and presumably weaker, than Collins, he was still able to drive Collins back."


http://draftbreakdown.com/john-ownings-2015-nfl-draft-breakdown-trey-flowers-de-arkansas/

I don't like this whole precedent, personally.

If Collins scores a big contract somewhere, what's to stop other players from threatening their way out of the draft and picking their teams?

mgteich said:

1) I see no reason for Collins not to make LOTS of money if he is cleared. This is a matter of structuring a contract with a large bonus for being on the 53 man roster or for playing Game One.

2) There will be a bidding war if he is cleared. He might end up getting much more than if someone drafted him at a discounted point in the draft.

Click to expand...

Thought there were limits on UDFA contracts.

As for the signing bonus pretty sure the most he can get from a team is $80k because that's all teams are allowed to use on all their UDFA.

50-yard-line said:

I don't like this whole precedent, personally.

If Collins scores a big contract somewhere, what's to stop other players from threatening their way out of the draft and picking their teams?

Click to expand...

I guess the answer is just that somebody would be likely to call their bluff and pick them in the 7th, which is the worst-case scenario.

JMC00 said:

Thought there were limits on UDFA contracts.

As for the signing bonus pretty sure the most he can get from a team is $80k because that's all teams are allowed to use on all their UDFA.

Click to expand...

With only a few udfas, the Patriots may have most of their $80,000.

50-yard-line said:

I don't like this whole precedent, personally.

If Collins scores a big contract somewhere, what's to stop other players from threatening their way out of the draft and picking their teams?

Click to expand...

Lack of a relevant murder investigation?

From what I've seen the most he can get is $1.57m guaranteed. Every team interested in him would give him that in a heartbeat.

Deus Irae said:

Lack of a relevant murder investigation?

Click to expand...

Yeah I don't know how much of a precedent it really sets. If you're talented enough to be a first or second rounder then you want that guaranteed money, you're not going to give the league the finger for no reason just to pick your team. Conversely, if you're not as talented and would not be picked in the first few rounds, an action like that will just put you off most teams' radar entirely.

mgteich said:

1) I see no reason for Collins not to make LOTS of money if he is cleared. This is a matter of structuring a contract with a large bonus for being on the 53 man roster or for playing Game One.

Click to expand...

There is a Undrafted Rookie Reservation limit of $86,957.
Pats have already used $22,500.

Miguel said:

There is a Undrafted Rookie Reservation limit of $86,957.

Click to expand...

Miguel - what is the most someone can pay him (guaranteed) over the 3-year term? I've seen all sorts of different limits being suggested from various quarters (for example, there's a $1.57m suggestion a few posts back).

Miguel said:

There is a Undrafted Rookie Reservation limit of $86,957.
Pats have already used $22,500.

Click to expand...

How does this compare to other teams?

Teams have expressed interest? Yawn....

Q) How can you tell when a player agent is leaking info (true or false) to encourage bidding?
A) When he has one or more bars on his cellphone....