Landon Collins' New York Giants career is unofficially over, at least for now.
A day after reports indicated it was "unlikely" the three-time Pro Bowl safety would receive the franchise tag from the Giants, Collins has shared a farewell to Big Blue via Twitter, saying he's moving "on to the next chapter." This comes the same day that the Giants informed Collins they would not be using their tag on him, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
At the start of the offseason, it seemed nearly inconceivable that New York would allow Collins to enter free agency uncontested. While not flawless, the 25-year-old represented one of the team's few defensive playmakers. Opinions may have changed at the time of the Giants' locker-room clean-out, when ESPN's Josina Anderson reported that Collins took all of his belongings in anticipation of signing elsewhere in 2019. Conflicting reports suggested otherwise, with Collins himself later saying he only left what he didn't need. But now, with free agency just over a week away, the All-Pro is on his way to the open market.
Previous NFL Network reports indicated the Giants "love" Collins but think the price tag for a franchised safety -- $11.15 million -- is too high. All of this despite the safety averaging roughly 80 tackles and two turnovers a year since being drafted in 2015.
"I want to thank the Giants organization for believing in me and allowing me to have four great years in New York," Collins wrote on Twitter. "I can't express how great it was to play with my teammates and in one of the greatest cities in the world. I will forever cherish my time in the blue and white and the relationships I have built in the building and in my community. Now on to the next chapter ... "
