'Home sweet home': Landon Collins humble in Giants' return, eager to prove his worth

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The white practice jersey hung in a locker without a nameplate.

The No. 21 was plenty familiar, even if most of the faces gathered around were different.

"Home sweet home," Landon Collins said with a smile. "I'm into super heroes, you know, Marvel and stuff, and when I got to wear that jersey again [Wednesday], it was like I got my armor back, my Deadpool suit. Just feels right."

Collins has returned to the New York Giants, this time on the practice squad, a 28-year-old former All Pro hoping to prove his worth and get into games as quickly as possible. He won't play Sunday when the 4-1 Giants take on the 3-2 Baltimore Ravens inside MetLife Stadium, but the expectation is that he will be up to speed and capable of contributing before too long.

“It’s humbling for sure, coming from where you’re at the top, and now you've got to build your way back up,” Collins added Friday, seated next to another veteran with something to prove in Jaylon Smith, who also returned to the Giants on the practice squad before signing to the active roster two weeks ago.

Collins is getting a second chance with the Giants, who selected him in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

A year later, Collins emerged as one of the top defensive players in the league. He earned three Pro Bowl appearances, and during the 2016 season, Collins was a serious contender for NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors, delivering key plays at safety as the Giants reached the playoffs, their last trip to the postseason.

Everything changed two seasons later for Collins when former general manager Dave Gettleman decided the organization was not going to pay him at the top of the market. The Giants let Collins leave by not using the franchise tag designation, and he signed a six-year, $84 million contract with rival Washington.

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His tenure in Washington was plagued by injuries, and Collins was released in March. He's been seeking an opportunity since, and admittedly was surprised when the Giants reached out with an invitation for a tryout a few weeks ago.

Only Saquon Barkley was on the Giants' roster when Collins last wore these colors.

"I never wanted to leave the Giants, there was one guy who wanted me gone [Gettleman], and I hope the fans know that," Collins said. "But whatever happened happened, I'm going to try to leave that behind me now, and this is where I want to be. I am going to do everything I can to help this team win. No promises, just a chance to get back to where I want to be, and that's to dress out and do what I know I can still do on game day."

Collins is working at safety on scout team in practice, and he got a few snaps as inside linebacker in sub-packages with the first team defense this week, a primer of sorts to see where he fits in Wink Martindale's defense.

"He's another tool in our toolbox, and we're excited to see what he can do week to week," Giants inside linebackers coach John Egorugwu said of Collins. "Sometimes you undervalue what they can bring to the table. He's been in a lot of different systems, he understands that this might not be the exact same language he's had before, but it's like, 'Oh yeah, I've run this coverage before.' A veteran guy like him that's made some plays - he's made a lot of plays in this league - he's a pro."

Smith faced a similar challenge to the one Collins has embraced. He came back to the Giants with a practice squad invite and has been a factor in the last two Giants' victories, registering seven solo tackles and starting at inside linebacker in last Sunday's 27-22 triumph over the Packers in London.

Collins is hoping to accelerate his learning curve, and the Giants believe his skill set has a place within this defense.

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"It's just a selfless defense, it's a positionless defensive," Egorugwu said. "That's a thing that Wink has said from the very, very beginning - if you're in this room, if you're sitting in these chairs, you've got to be ready to play and I think they've all bought into that. When their name is called, you've got to be ready, and they have been ready, and they'll continue to be."

Added Giants secondary Jerome Henderson: "Every week, Wink is going to find a new combination to present to offenses, and [Collins] is another piece he'll have to move around."

Collins wants to prove he can have an impact similar to the one he had before he departed the first time.

"I can make plays. I can be a playmaker," Collins said. "I know I'm still a game-changer, and since I left here, it was like, just when I started making plays, I'd get banged up or hurt and it wasn't meant to be. This is another chance, and I want to get back to being a player for this team I know I can be. This is where I want to be, and knowing they wanted me back, I'm going to do everything I can to stay and make plays for the Giants again."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Landon Collins' NY Giants return a case of 'home sweet home'