La’el Collins getting his first Cowboys work at right tackle
The Cowboys knew they wanted La’El Collins, and felt like they got him at a bargain rate — even if they didn’t know where to put him.
But injuries are taking care of that for the moment, as the famously undrafted rookie is working at right tackle while incumbent starter Doug Free recovers from offseason ankle surgery.
“It’s definitely a new position for me, so a new challenge,” Collins said, via Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I have to go out each and every day and focus on the small things – my technique, my assignments. It’s been a great two days for the OTAs.”
Collins played exclusively on the left side at LSU, and might eventually slot in as the Cowboys left guard. But the fact they think he can do several things only underscores the value they see in him.
“We think he has the physical ability to play a couple of different spots,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. “He was a tackle for most of his career in college but did play guard. We see him as a guy who can maybe do both of those things as he goes.
“The big thing for him is to try to get him acclimated as quickly as we can. So right now he’s going to play right tackle for us. He and Darrion Weems are competing at that spot in Doug Free’s absence, and we’ll just see how that unfolds. All those guys, having some position flex and some versatility on the offensive line is really, really important. He’s someone who’s demonstrated that in college and has the physical traits to do it at this level.”
He also gives the Cowboys flexibility when it comes time to pay people, as they can leverage a guy who would have been a first-rounder before his name was linked to a double-murder investigation (in which he still isn’t considered a suspect).
It’s a long-term perk to what should be an excellent short-term move, giving the Cowboys the chance to keep an excellent line together for several years.
