Patriots reportedly traded Jamie Collins because they were reducing his role

There was a lot of talk about why the New England Patriots abruptly traded Pro Bowl linebacker Jamie Collins, but the actual reason is a fairly simple one.

The Patriots did not feel that Collins had an extensive part to play in the franchise’s future, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media. They intended to transition him into more of a part-time player, and, fearing there could be repercussions in the locker room, elected to simply trade him away when they found the opportunity to do so.

Discussed the Jamie Collins trade: #Patriots were making him into a part-time player, were leery of the locker-room issue it would cause

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 6, 2016

#Patriots shopped him the week before the trade deadline, found a suitor. Dealing Collins was an easy call. He wasn’t part of their future

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 6, 2016

There were stories about the contract Collins wanted, and while it may or may not be true, it seems there was much more at work than that. The Patriots didn’t intend to keep him around, so they saw fit to cut ties while they could get something for him.