Former Alabama All-American Landon Collins is returning to the NFL with his original team by joining the New York Giants’ practice squad.

Collins is signing with the Giants in time to accompany the team on its flight across the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday. New York will play the Green Bay Packers in London on Sunday.

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The first player chosen in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, Collins played his first four seasons with the Giants. He earned Pro Bowl selection in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and was a first-team All-Pro pick in 2016, when he finished third in the voting for the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Collins left the Giants for a six-year, $84 million contract with Washington in free agency in 2019. But Collins had been out of football since being released by the Commanders on March 10.

In 2021, Collins had 81 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries while playing 675 defensive snaps in 13 games with Washington, mainly in a safety-linebacker hybrid position. He missed four games because of a foot injury. Despite that, Collins was the only player in the NFL with at least three sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries last season.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.