Jamie Collins is the latest player to learn that the Patriot Way is an express route out of town if Bill Belichick doesn’t want to pay you or loses trust in your ability to do your job to his imperious satisfaction. Belichick is a history buff, and trading pending free agent linebacker Collins to the Cleveland Browns on Monday is history repeating itself.
Another talent sent packing to the surprise and bewilderment of the football public, Collins was dealt to the perpetual pumpkins of the NFL in a Halloween shocker for a conditional third-round draft pick.
We’ve seen this before with Deion Branch, Richard Seymour, Randy Moss, Logan Mankins, and Chandler Jones. The timing with Collins — eight games into a putative Lombardi Trophy-lifting season — is surprising, but the methodology behind the move shouldn’t be. Once the shock wears off and Belichick offers a bland bromide for why the trade was made, the Patriots will move on and keep on winning.
You don’t have to like the Collins deal (raises hand). The value of the quality of the return — a 2017 third-round pick tied to the NFL’s esoteric compensatory draft pick formula for free agency that could slip to a regular fourth-rounder in 2018 — versus the depletion of depth is dubious.
The only advantage of making the deal with Cleveland is that the Patriots might get their draft pick for Collins in 2017, instead of having to wait for a 2018 compensatory pick if he left as a free agent.
Collins could have platooned with rookie Elandon Roberts, played out the season, and found his riches elsewhere. But how Collins would handle diminished playing time on the verge of his pay day crossed Belichick’s mind. The Hoodie would rather cut bait than deal with discord.
The Patriots have been criticized for these types of deals in the past, and history usually pounds its gavel in Belichick’s favor.
His Patriots have an uncanny knack for being able to carry on as constant contenders after moving on from players who were previously thought to be indispensable. The only guy that is irreplaceable is Tom Brady, and Belichick even had many questioning that belief this season.
New England dealt Branch one day after the 2006 opener and still went to the AFC title game, where it blew a 21-3 lead. The biggest damage from the Seymour trade eight days before the opener in 2009 was in the locker room and was exacerbated by fourth and 2 in Indianapolis.
The Patriots were a mess in the first four games without Mankins in 2014 and won their fourth Super Bowl. They’re 7-1 this season without Jones.
The Patriots have let Adam Vinatieri, Asante Samuel, Wes Welker, Vince Wilfork, and Darrelle Revis walk in free agency and not seen their dynasty come crashing down like a crystal chandelier.
It’s not going to shatter because of the departure of Collins, despite his freakish athleticism and second-team All-Pro pedigree. He is a tremendous talent, but reliability trumps ability in Fort Foxborough.
Due to the emergence of Roberts and the presence of Dont’a Hightower, the Patriots are in a much better place at inside linebacker than they were at guard after dealing Mankins.
Only the Patriots could deal their leading tackler the prior two seasons and not put a sizable dent in their Super Bowl plans.
While revisionist reviews that diminish Collins’s ability and contributions during his 3½ seasons here will be propagated, he was an impact player.
He is no longer a Patriot, not because he couldn’t play, but because he didn’t always play it the way the scheme dictated and didn’t show a willingness to play ball on a new contract.
As much as Belichick preaches about the present, he is always glaring ahead when it comes to roster composition.
The Patriots have a desirable and decorated class of free agents to pay, including Hightower, tight end Martellus Bennett, sack leader Jabaal Sheard, safety Duron Harmon, and cornerbacks Malcolm Butler (restricted) and Logan Ryan.
Collins wasn’t willing to fit into Belichick’s budget or system. Now he’ll be fitting into those hideous Browns uniforms that look like a cheap Halloween costumes.
Contract talks between the team and Collins were basically stalled before training camp. Collins turned down $11 million per year, according to Ben Volin.
There was a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Collins, whose base salary this season is $917,865, wanted Von Miller money, more than $19 million per year.
No way was that happening, especially with Roberts making $550,336 this season, including a $450,000 base salary.
Belichick probably also noticed that Collins benefited more from the presence of Hightower than vice versa.
When Hightower missed games against Denver, Philadelphia, and Miami last season, the Patriots lost them all and clearly missed Hightower’s thumping presence.
Collins’s inconsistency and occasional lack of physicality as a run defender was on display in Buffalo on Sunday, when he got run over by Buffalo’s Mike Gillislee for a touchdown.
The Patriots are betting they’re capable of getting by with just two starting-caliber inside linebackers because of the versatility of safety Patrick Chung and nickel defenses that employ three safeties or cornerbacks.
Shedding Collins represents a major gamble.
Barkevious Mingo looks lost in transition to the Patriots’ defense. The Patriots picked up linebacker Kyle Van Noy from the Detroit Lions in a trade on Oct. 26, but Van Noy, a 2014 second-round pick, might be miscast as a space linebacker. Belichick favorite Jonathan Freeny is on injured reserve.
Given that, is it worth weakening the team during the Brady Window when the rest of the competition looks so weak?
Debating whether the Patriots got enough in return for Collins and whether they’re capable of returning to the Super Bowl without him are two separate issues.
The Patriots have gone down this road before. It doesn’t result in a major detour from their excellence.
Christopher L. Gasper can be reached at cgasper@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @cgasper.
