Collins anxious for first contact
Landon Collins is getting close to a full recovery from a fractured left forearm and, for now, is being kept out of all contact drills during practice. He is wearing a small carbon fiber protective shield on his arm and is already plotting when to get rid of it.
“[The Giants] probably plan on it, but knowing myself, I’m not going to wear it,’’ Collins said. “The piece I’m wearing is pretty light, so I don’t actually feel it … so I was like, ‘All right, cool.’ But at the same time, it’s going to mess up my swag, so I’ve got to look good, you know?’’
Alerted that extra padding on his arm could serve as a nice weapon, Collins smiled.
“I don’t need a weapon,’’ he said. “My weapon, I’ve got my shoulders for that.’’
Collins injured his arm in the Week 16 game in Arizona and had surgery to repair the damage. When the arm did not heal correctly, he underwent a second surgery April 23. “Nothing went wrong,’’ he said. “I was just in that 20 percentile where it didn’t heal correctly.’’
In the early organized team activity practices, Collins wore a red, sleeveless ‘non-contact’’ pullover over his No. 21 jersey, but he did not have it on Monday. Still, he is being kept out of the heavy action.
“I would just say that we’re going to be a little bit cautious because it’s a break that’s healed,’’ head coach Pat Shurmur said. “We’re trying to get him in as much as we can, but a little bit at a time. But he looks good. He’s getting his extra running, he’s getting everything he needs mentally and I’ve been very pleased with his progress in all areas.’’
Collins, who started 47 consecutive games at strong safety before missing the 2017 season finale, feels it is important to attend the offseason sessions, even though he is a marginal participant, because there is a new defense to learn and a new coordinator, James Bettcher, to get to know. At times, it has been difficult for him to stay on the sideline.
“He’s tried to come out there and participate a few times but they pulled him back,’’ safety Andrew Adams said. “He’s definitely getting antsy, which is a good thing. He wants to play, he wants to be a part of what’s going on.”