Packers to release Nick Collins

Posted by Josh Alper on April 25, 2012, 11:24 AM EDT

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If safety Nick Collins is able to play again after neck surgery, it won’t be for the Packers.

Collins’ agent told Tom Silverstein of theMilwaukee Journal-Sentinel that the Packers have informed Collins that he will be released. Per Silverstein, the team is not comfortablewith the prospect of letting Collins back on the field, which follows what coach Mike McCarthy said last month about not going forward with Collins unless it was completely safe for him to play. Collins is still waiting for final word from several doctors about whether he is able to resume his career.

The Packers are now more likely to take a safety in the draft this week, although that was already something that had to be on their radar. Morgan Burnett took over many of Collins’ free safety duties after Collins’ injury last season withCharlie Peprah at strong safety.

Releasing Collins clears a little over $3 million in cap space for the Packers this season. He was due to make a bit over $4 million, with $1 million remaining on the cap because it was part of a signing bonus.

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