The Facts: Collins ended the season with the Seahawks and he’ll have a shot to make the team again in 2021. Collins re-signed with the Seahawks on Wednesday. Reported by Profootballtalk.com

Diehards Line: Collins played a couple of special teams snaps in the team’s playoff loss to the Rams and then reverted to the practice squad, so he became a free agent at the end of the season. Collins was originally a 2016 fifth-round pick by the Seahawks and played 11 games as a rookie before being cut out of camp in 2017. He landed with the Ravens and ran for 973 yards that season, but fell out of favor after hurting his foot in 2018 and was waived after being arrested for marijuana and handgun possession in 2019. He ran 18 times for 77 yards and two touchdowns in three games for the Seahawks in 2020. Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde are set for free agency in Seattle, but Rashaad Penny, Travis Homer, and DeeJay Dallas remain under contract.

The Facts: GM John Lynch joined Clark Judge and Ira Kaufman on The Eye Test for Two podcast and said he has no doubt Garoppolo will return as the team’s starter. Lynch was asked: “If he is injury-free, is there any doubt in your mind that Jimmy Garoppolo is your quarterback when you line up in September?” Lynch did not hesitate: “No. Not at all. I really believe that.” Reported by Profootballtalk.com

Diehards Line: The 49ers are 24-9, including the postseason, in games Garoppolo has started since he arrived in a trade with the Patriots. They are 7-19 over the same period when he doesn’t. Garoppolo, though, has missed 23 games the past three seasons with injuries. He played only six in 2020 because of high-ankle sprains. But Lynch sounds as if the 49ers want to upgrade the backup quarterback position rather than find a starting quarterback to compete with or replace Garoppolo. “When he’s healthy, he’s played at a high level,” Lynch said. “But we probably have to add someone. We probably need to improve ourselves, so if he’s not there, we’re all right; we can win games." C.J. Beathard is an unrestricted free agent and Nick Mullens is a restricted free agent. Having a healthy Garoppolo is key, though, if the 49ers truly are committed to another year with him. The only season Garoppolo played all 16 games, in 2019, the 49ers went 13-3 and made a Super Bowl appearance. Lynch expects more of that ahead. “We are seriously looking forward to kind of rebooting our team and making a run at this thing next year," he said. "And I believe we’ve got what it takes to compete for a championship.” And Garoppolo is part of that.

The Facts: Gordon pleaded not guilty to a DUI charge in Denver last month and was scheduled for a pre-trial hearing in the case on Wednesday, but it has been pushed to next month. The hearing will now be held on March 10. The Denver District Court granted a continuance requested by Gordon’s lawyer. “Some new information has come up that is the subject of discussion between the parties,” Malen said in the hearing, via Mike Klis of KUSA. Reported by Profootballtalk.com

Diehards Line: The trial is still set to start on April 8. Gordon was arrested Oct. 13 on suspicion of driving under the influence and going 71 mph in a 35 mph zone. He did not take a breathalyzer at the scene of the traffic stop. If he pleads or is found guilty, Gordon will likely be suspended by the league. That would open the door for the Broncos to move to void the $4.5 million in guaranteed money that is on the books for Gordon in 2021.

The Facts: Jones has the Dolphins among teams he’s willing to consider. And the interest is mutual, according to a league source. The Dolphins’ interest was confirmed to Herald staffer Barry Jackson by a league source who speaks with the Dolphins but is not affiliated with Jones. Reported by the Miami Herald

Diehards Line: There will be other suitors. Indianapolis-based reporter Evan Massey reported that Jones “is expected to receive heavy interest from the Dolphins, 49ers, Steelers and Bears. Plenty of other teams will have interest, but those four are teams to keep a close eye on. Green Bay would like to re-sign him as well.” He later added the Jets to that list. The Dolphins have only $26 million in cap space if the cap ends up at $180 million. But Jackson contends they could make moves that create $62.3 million in space — which would allow Miami to bid for for a high-end WR and RB. Jones covers the high-end description based on a career average of 5.2 yards per carry, including 5.5 last season, which was fifth best in the league and best among backs with at least 200 carries.The former fifth-round pick out of UTEP has consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons, having run for 1,084 yards on 4.6 per carry in 2019. And that 2019 season was the only one that Jones averaged less than five yards per carry. He’s a capable receiver out of the backfield, having caught 131 passes for 1,057 yards (an 8.1 average) and six touchdowns in his four-year career. And he’s only 26. But he won’t come cheaply. Pro Football Focus predicts (this is a prediction, not a report) that the Dolphins will give him a four-year, $46 million contract, with $25 million guaranteed. ... Stay tuned.

The Facts: After winning his seventh Super Bowl, Brady's NFL career seems poised to extend beyond the two seasons for which he's signed in Tampa Bay. As such, the question is already being posed to Bucs GM Jason Licht whether he's considering an extension for the QB. Licht told The Rich Eisen Show that while he'll keep his conversations with Brady private, an extension is one option. "That's a possibility," Licht said. "He certainly didn't look like he slowed down any this year. So, that's a possibility. We'll have to see how that goes." Reported by NFL.com

Diehards Line: As PFT suggests, Brady certainly seemed to enjoy himself this season in Tampa, but many factors, including his desire to play past 45 years old, will dictate the future. Brady also could decide he wants to check out free agency once again next year after enjoying his first foray on the open market. Meanwhile, Brady is set to earn $25 million this season, with a cap number of $28.375 million. With a slew of Bucs players headed to free agency, it's possible that Tampa could use an extension to not only keep the QB in town beyond this season but also to free up cap space in the short term in order to make a run at Brady's eighth Lombardi.

The Facts: If Smith-Schuster had it his way, he would not leave Pittsburgh in free agency this offseason, The receiver told TMZ Sports he wants to be a Steeler for life. "At the end of the day, I want to have my legacy in Pittsburgh and retire there," the 24-year-old says. "I don't want to leave." Reported by TMZ.com

Diehards Line: Smith-Schuster's rookie contract is expiring this offseason and he's expected to test the open market, even if the Steelers make him a preliminary offer. The wideout could command huge dollars from teams like the Jets, Patriots or Dolphins but he made it clear to TMZ while shopping out in L.A. this week he's hoping the Steelers come close to matching a big deal from other teams. In fact, when asked if he could see himself in a Chargers or Rams jersey in 2021, JuJu said, "Not right now. Until I actually get let go, other than that, I'm Pittsburgh for life. ..." We'll see about that next month.

The Facts: Smith said his comeback threw a "wrench" into the team's plans and that he didn't feel wanted by the organization this past summer. Smith, the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year, told GQ Magazine that he surprised the organization by being able to play. "They didn't see it, didn't want me there, didn't want me to be a part of it, didn't want me to be on the team, the roster, didn't want to give me a chance," Smith told the magazine. "Mind you, it was a whole new regime, they came in; I'm like the leftovers and I'm hurt and I'm this liability. Heck no, they didn't want me there." Reported by ESPN.com

Diehards Line: Smith's words call into question his desire to remain with the organization and how much frustration he still harbors. Washington is open to retaining Smith and building up more of the offense, but the team also is exploring other options at quarterback because of the question of whether Smith can remain healthy for a full season. Smith has a $24.4 million cap hit and Washington would save $13.8 million if it released him. "We're still in a situation where we are looking at all of our options," coach Ron Rivera said earlier this month. Smith has not said for certain that he's going to return, but sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that he wanted to continue playing.

The Facts: The Ravens weren’t expected to bring back Bryant anyway, but the receiver made clear in a series of tweets Tuesday night, that he has no interest in returning. “I realized quick Baltimore wasn’t the place for me,” Bryant wrote. “No bad blood. That’s their way of doing things so you gotta respect it.” Reported by Profootballtalk.com

Diehards Line: Bryant, 32, played six games, making six catches for 47 yards and two touchdowns, in his return to football after two years out of the game. Bryant said he plans on playing two more seasons “and that’s it for me.” The question is: Will anyone else give him a shot?

The Facts: Godwin finds himself in a somewhat unique position. He's a Super Bowl champion free agent, and he's in line to get paid -- it just might not come from the employer of his fellow champions. Tampa Bay has a cast of key contributors it will hope to retain after catching fire and riding its hot streak to a Super Bowl LV victory over the Chiefs. Godwin is among them, but he's set to command a healthy salary on the open market, presenting him with a difficult balancing act between compensation and competition. "I think I'm in the same boat as a lot of players," Godwin said. "Like, you want to get some long-term security, you want the team to commit to you, as well. I think an extension would be ideal, but at the end of the day if the franchise [tag] is what happens, then that's what I gotta do and then we'll revisit later. I want to be in Tampa, but at the end of the day I want to get paid too." Reported by NFL.com

Diehards Line: Assuming Godwin lands among the likes of Jarvis Landry, Cooper Kupp and Stefon Diggs -- players to whom he's statistically comparable at the time they signed their second contracts -- he'll make anywhere between $14.4 million and $15.75 million per year. And with the continuing rise of market value (even amid a salary cap crunch), he'll likely command more, safely putting him in the $16 million range for 2021. Godwin isn't naive in his approach to free agency, understanding that the biggest payday could land him with a team in the polar opposite situation of the Buccaneers, who are entering 2021 bent on repeating as champions with Brady entering the final year of his two-year, $50 million deal. He values happiness more than maximum income, he said, and he knows he'll be more than content in Tampa Bay. But the Buccaneers will have to figure out how to create space to pay Godwin near his market value. Even with a hometown discount, the financial gymnastics are still going to be difficult. Sticking the landing isn't as easy as fiddling with a calculator, especially in this unique financial landscape. As they currently stand right now, the Buccaneers don't have enough cap space -- $13.36 million with a projected cap of $180.5 million to pay Godwin commiserate with his production. And the Buccaneers still need to find a way to keep 2020 franchise tag recipient Shaquil Barrett, Ndamukong Suh, Lavonte David and Rob Gronkowski, among others. Stay tuned.

The Facts: Per multiple reports, Houston is re-signing Howell to a one-year contract instead of letting him hit restricted free agency. Reported by Profootballtalk.com

Diehards Line: According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, Howell won’t make as much as he would have with the $2.133 million RFA tender. But Howell’s deal includes guaranteed money. Howell rushed for 64 yards on 16 carries in 2020, but he spent most of his time on special teams. He’s been a mainstay in the game’s third phase since he arrived in Houston back in 2018. Howell originally signed with the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2018, but was waived during final roster cuts. He’s been with the Texans ever since.