With the first offseason workouts underway for the Dallas Cowboys, one position change has taken place that might help shore up the Offensive Line. With the retirement of veteran offensive tackle Doug Free, the Cowboys have moved La'el Collins to right tackle and that is where he worked through the entire on-field teaching sessions.
The Dallas Cowboys all-star offensive line
Before Doug Free retired, the Dallas Cowboys looked like they would return the best offensive line in the NFL. Free was the veteran on the line and was joined by first round draft picks Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, and Zack Martin.
La'el Collins was the fifth man on the line at left guard and he would have been a first-round pick in 2015 if he had not slipped out of the draft last year when his ex-girlfriend was murdered and he was called in by the police to interview shortly before the NFL Draft. Collins, it turns out, had nothing to do with the murder and the Cowboys swooped in and signed him quickly as an undrafted free agent, giving them essentially four first round talent on the offensive line. Through the offseason, Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones said that Dallas wanted to keep Collins at left guard but the first practices make it look like they changed their mind.
La'el Collins at right tackle
La'el Collins said that head coach Jason Garrett wants him to start at right tackle and "hit it full speed," so it sounds like the move is permanent for the Dallas Cowboys.
Collins worked as a right tackle a little in 2015 but moved to left guard and stayed there. He started 11 games at left guard in 2016. While the Cowboys signed Byron Bell to replace Doug Free, it looks like the team is interested in seeing if Collins can fill in the role instead. Dallas also has Chaz Green, a third-round pick in 2015, to step in if needed.
However, putting La'el at right tackle is the smart move right now.
The projected 2017 Dallas Cowboys offensive line
If La'el Collins started at left guard, the Dallas Cowboys would have to start either Byron Bell or Chaz Green on the offensive line. If Collins does well at right tackle, the Cowboys will start Jonathan Cooper at left guard.
which makes the offensive line even more impressive. Cooper was a first-round draft pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2013. That means that if Collins sticks at right tackle and Cooper is at left guard, the Cowboys will have four first-round draft picks and one man who should have been a first round draft pick protecting Dak Prescott.
