Former Dallas Cowboys OT La'el Collins Signs With A New Team
It didn't take long for former Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle La'el Collins to find a new home. Released on Thursday. Signed on Sunday. As expected, Collins had suitors but this Tiger has reclaimed his stripes. Collins visited Cincinnati on Saturday, March 19th and only 24 hours later has become one of them, signing with the […]
It didn't take long for former Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle La'el Collins to find a new home. Released on Thursday. Signed on Sunday. As expected, Collins had suitors but this Tiger has reclaimed his stripes.
Collins visited Cincinnati on Saturday, March 19th and only 24 hours later has become one of them, signing with the defending AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals.
A priority move for the Bengals, who allowed the third-most sacks (55) in 2021. Cincy has been active this off-season, adding Collins with the likes of Ted Karras and Alex Cappa. Moves that all improve their offensive line drastically just from these additions.
Indicating not the importance, but the priority of keeping their young star QB Joe Burrow, on his feet.
Cincy makes sense for Collins, even following his release. It was one of the most likely places we previously projected him to land if he were traded.
The defending AFC Champions are fresh off their Super Bowl run. In their entire playoff series, they showed the same weakness the Kansas City Chiefs did in the previous year’s Super Bowl: the offensive line.
Joe Burrow was sacked 19 times in the postseason. La’el Collins only allowed two sacks all season in 671 snaps played. This would instantly make him the Bengals best pass protector, and a one of the team’s best run blockers for Joe Mixon, as well.
The Bengals look ready to spend in free agency again. Given where they will be drafting (31st overall), they won’t find a better offensive lineman available at that spot.
Now Collins will reunite with his former offensive line coach Frank Pollack, who coached him while at LSU. Pollack, who has continued to have a strong relationship with Collins, hasn't shied away from praise.
Whether Dallas Cowboys fans are willing to admit it, the release of Collins was a long time coming. He missed all of 2020 after coming in out of shape and eventually was placed on IR with a hip injury, and missed an additional five games for a missed drug test, and subsequently bribing a testing official.
With the improved play of Terence Steele on the right side, it made Collins expendable. Collins will be designated a post June-1st cut, saving the Cowboys $10 million in 2023.
Now, Collins is in a new city, in an organization that needs him. Despite the baggage that comes with him, he is an asset on a team desperate for his services.
