San Francisco acquired Collins, 29, in a trade with the Houston Texans last year, sending a seventh-round draft pick in exchange. In his lone season with San Francisco, Collins recorded 33 tackles (five for a loss), 12 quarterback hits, and five sacks over 17 starts, playing 67 percent of the defensive snaps, per Pro Football Reference.
San Francisco's defense struggled in the run game last season, earning a 54.6 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranked 28th in the NFL. The unit allowed 124.6 rushing yards per game (18th) and gave up 24 rushing touchdowns, the second-most in the league behind only the Dallas Cowboys.
After the season, the team parted ways with defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen and brought back Robert Saleh to replace him.
While Garafolo reports that Collins is being released, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area adds that the move is not yet official, leaving the door open for a potential trade if any teams express interest.
The Cowboys selected Collins (6-2, 310) out of Nebraska in the third round (No. 67 overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft. Over nine seasons in the NFL, he has played 136 games (129 starts) and posted 239 tackles (51 for a loss), 88 quarterback hits, 30.5 sacks, four passes defensed, one interception, and one forced fumble.
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