La’el Collins - Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Cowboys’ La’el Collins

September 30th, 2020 at 1:33pm CST by Zachary Links

Cowboys right tackle La’el Collins could be done for the year. Collins is still working towards a return, but contact during offensive line drills have proven to be a major hurdle for him, Jane Slater of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Season-ending surgery could be in Collins’ future, but all parties are holding off on that option for now.

“If it was Week 10 and the team was 0-8 it would be something they would explore,” a team source told Slater. “But, we are still hoping it’s manageable.”

Collins was placed on IR after the September roster deadline, so he’s theoretically eligible to return at any time. But, right now, it doesn’t sound like he’ll be ready for live action anytime soon.

The former LSU standout has become one of the NFL’s better right tackles, doing so after making a mid-career move from the guard spot. Since 2015, Collins has appeared in 62 games (61 starts) as one of Dak Prescott’s trusted protectors. Last year, Collins finished as the fourth-highest graded offensive tackle in the league, according to Pro Football Focus, making his five-year, $50MM deal look like an absolute bargain.

Without Collins up front, the Cowboys were held to just 17 points in the season opener against the Rams. Though the offense was sharp enough to top the Falcons in Week 2, they fell 38-31 to the Seahawks on Sunday. This week, they’ll aim for the .500 mark when they face the Browns in Dallas.

Cowboys To Place T La’el Collins On IR

September 5th, 2020 at 4:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys will begin the season without starting right tackle La’el Collins. They will place the veteran blocker on IR, Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes.

However, the Cowboys did carry Collins over to their active roster after the 3pm cutdown deadline. And because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Collins will not have to miss the usually mandatory eight games. He will be eligible to return after three this season.

Both Collins and Sean Lee appear on Dallas’ active roster, but Lee will also begin the season on this new temporary IR. Collins is battling a hip injury.

The former LSU standout has become one of the NFL’s better right tackles, doing so after making a mid-career move from the guard spot. The Cowboys lost swing tackle Cameron Fleming to the Giants in free agency but signed former Browns and Chiefs backup/spot starter Cameron Erving this offseason.

WR Amari Cooper To Re-Sign With Cowboys

March 16th, 2020 at 9:57pm CST by Ben Levine

Amari Cooper is about to get paid. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the star wideout intends to re-sign with the Cowboys on a five-year, $100MM deal. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the deal contains a whopping $60MM in guaranteed money.

While Cooper hasn’t necessarily established himself as one of the league’s top-tier receivers, it always seemed like he was heading towards a contract that would pay him $20MM per season. Wideouts of Cooper’s caliber or age rarely reach free agency, so it was clear that the Cowboys would have to come close to Julio Jones’ $22MM-per-year deal. Ultimately, Cooper’s $20MM average annual value will rank second at the position, bumping Michael Thomas‘ $19.25MM-AAV to the third spot.

A number of teams have been loosely connected to Cooper throughout the offseason, but Schefter tweets that one rival was pushing hard for the receiver’s services: the Washington Redskins. As Schefter notes, the Redskins pursued Cooper today and tried “to pry him away” from their divisional rival. The Broncos were also recently mentioned as a potential suitor.

Cooper earned his fourth career Pro Bowl nod following another productive season in 2019. In 16 games, the 25-year-old hauled in 79 catches for a career-high 1,189 receiving yards and a career-high eight receiving touchdowns. Cooper joined the Cowboys midway through the 2018 season following a trade with the Raiders.

Now, the Cowboys can focus on extending Dak Prescott to a new contract. Earlier today, we learned that the organization was placing the exclusive franchise tag on their Pro Bowl quarterback. At the same time, the organization watched as cornerback Byron Jones inked a lucrative deal with the Dolphins. Considering the cap constraints, it’s not surprising that ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the front office restructured the deals of both running back Ezekiel Elliott and offensive tackle La’el Collins earlier today.

Injury Updates: Packers, Adams, Cardinals

October 18th, 2019 at 5:33pm CST by Zachary Links

No surprise here, but Davante Adams will miss another game this week, per the Packers‘ final injury report. This marks the wide receiver’s third-straight missed contest as he rehabs from a toe ailment.

Adams had a strong start to the season with 25 receptions for 378 yards before going down and seemed on his way to matching last year’s 111/1,386 posting. The Packers were able to get past the Lions without him and they’ll aim to do the same against the Raiders.

Here’s the latest on other bumps and bruises from around the NFL:

Uh oh – Cardinals running back David Johnson is dealing with a new injury. After tweaking his back against Atlanta, Johnson will be a game time decision thanks to a sore ankle, head coach Kliff Kingsbury told reporters.
The Cowboys will have offensive tackles Tyron Smith and La’el Collins, wide receivers Amari Cooper and Randall Cobb, and cornerback Byron Jones are set to play on Sunday against the Eagles, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. All five are listed as questionable for the game, but they took the practice field and Friday and should be good to go.
The Eagles, on the other hand, will try to fly without: linebacker Nigel Bradham (ankle), wide receiver DeSean Jackson (abdomen), defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan (foot), cornerback Avonte Maddox (concussion/neck), tackle Jason Peters (knee), and running back Darren Sproles (quadricep).
Wide receiver Kenny Stills is set to return on Sunday against the Colts, per the club’s injury report.

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Redskins, Giants

October 3rd, 2019 at 8:01pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Cowboys will face a tough test against the Packers on Sunday when they square off against one of the NFL’s best defenses, but a key piece of their offense will be returning just in time. Wide receiver Michael Gallup, who missed Dallas’ previous two games with a knee injury, is expected to play against Green Bay, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). A second-year pass-catcher out of Colorado State, Gallup got off to a hot start in 2019, catching 13 passes for 226 yards in the Cowboys’ first two games of the year.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

Gallup isn’t the only offensive contributor that will make it onto the field for the Cowboys: right tackle La’el Collins, currently battling a back injury, will play against the Packers, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports. While Collins hasn’t missed any game action, he has been absent from practice this week. Left tackle Tyron Smith is expected to miss Dallas’ contest against Green Bay with an ankle issue, so Collins’ presence becomes all the more critical. Veteran backup Cameron Fleming will take over for Smith on the blindside.
Injured reserve is not in consideration for Redskins tight end Jordan Reed, head coach Jay Gruden told reporters, including Kareem Copeland of the Washington Post (Twitter link). Reed has suffered a number of concussions throughout his career and is currently dealing with yet another brain injury. Earlier this year, reports indicated that his career could even be in jeopardy given his repeated brain trauma. Reed is not expected to play in Week 5 and there’s no timetable for his return, but Washington apparently isn’t willing to give up his season just yet.
A domestic violence complaint and a restraining order against former Giants safety Kamrin Moore were both vacated earlier this year after a judge determined allegations against Moore could not be substantiated, but charges against the now-free agent defender have not yet been dropped, as Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com writes. Moore is adamant he was falsely accused and now believes the Union County prosecutor’s office is delaying the dropping of his charges out of “embarrassment.”

Cowboys, La’el Collins Agree To Deal

September 3rd, 2019 at 8:29am CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys and La’el Collins have reached agreement on a brand new five-year extension, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). The new deal will keep Collins under control through the 2024 season.

It’s a five-year, $50MM add-on that includes $35MM guaranteed, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. That gives Collins the highest guarantee of any right tackle in the NFL. Collins was set to make $8.5MM this year so it’s a six-year, $58.5MM deal in total.

The new deal has been a long time coming, with strong interest on both sides.

“I would love to stay in Dallas my entire career,” Collins said recently. “I love the Cowboys, I love Mr. (Jerry) Jones; I love the Jones family. I love everything about the whole organization and what they’ve done for me as a person and as a player. For me, it’s just all about going out there and taking it one day at a time, and proving myself, proving my worth, showing them that I want to be there by what I do and now what I say.”

Collins ranked as the No. 31 tackle in the NFL last year, per Pro Football Focus, and has looked the part of a top-tier protector at times. Still in his mid-20s, the sky is the limit for the powerful lineman.

The Cowboys have long boasted one of the league’s best offensive lines and they’ve gone to great lengths to ensure that things will stay that way. Not only is Collins inked through 2024 – they’ve also got left tackle Tyron Smith and center Travis Frederick through 2023 and guard Zack Martin through the 2024 campaign.

The Cowboys’ O-Line has helped turn quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott into superstars. Now, after addressing Collins’ deal, it remains to be seen how they’ll handle new contracts for Prescott, Elliott, and the reborn Amari Cooper.

La’el Collins Wants To Stay With Cowboys

July 11th, 2019 at 6:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Cowboys offensive lineman La’el Collins is entering the final season of his contract, but if he has his way, he’ll remain with the club for the foreseeable future, according to Herbie Teope of the Advocate.

“I would love to stay in Dallas my entire career,” Collins said. “I love the Cowboys, I love Mr. (Jerry) Jones; I love the Jones family. I love everything about the whole organization and what they’ve done for me as a person and as a player. For me, it’s just all about going out there and taking it one day at a time, and proving myself, proving my worth, showing them that I want to be there by what I do and now what I say.”

A projected first-round pick in 2015, Collins went undrafted after reports indicated he was scheduled to talk with police about the murder of a pregnant woman with whom he was previously involved. Authorities determined Collins had no involvement in the woman’s death, but he wasn’t selected in the draft after his agents indicated he would sit out the season if he were picked after the third round.

The Cowboys eventually landed Collins as an undrafted free agent. The LSU product spent his first two NFL campaigns at left guard, but moved to right tackle in 2017 after longtime Cowboy Doug Free retired. Because he was undrafted, Collins was eligible for an extension after only two pro seasons, and inked a two-year, $15.4MM deal with Dallas in July 2017.

Collins has managed to stay healthy over the past two seasons, and he’s responded with solid production, ranking as the No. 31 tackle in the NFL last year, per Pro Football Focus. The Cowboys have shown a willingness to extend offensive linemen in the past, as left tackle Tyron Smith, center Travis Frederick, and right guard Zack Martin have all received hefty new deals in recent seasons.

However, Dallas also a number of other pending free agents — including quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver Amari Cooper, and cornerback Byron Jones — whom it may deem more crucial to the club’s success. If that’s the case, Collins could hit the open market next spring.

Cowboys Notes: Prescott, Cooper, Elliott, Collins, Smith

July 3rd, 2019 at 6:04pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Cowboys are fortunate to have a lot of young talent. But one downside that comes with having a lot of young talent, is that sooner or later you have to pay them all. Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, and Amari Cooper are all looking for extensions, and Dallas is going to have to break the bank. Prescott is likely looking to top what Carson Wentz just got, meaning he’ll demand $30MM-plus annually. Quietly, there have been some rumblings that the team isn’t in any rush to extend Elliott. It makes sense because Elliott has the most time left on his deal, but it’s interesting nonetheless. There’s been a lot of concern about how they’ll fit all three players under the cap, but Calvin Watkins of The Athletic writes that you shouldn’t be concerned.

Talking about those key three as well as safety Byron Jones, Watkins writes that the team is “optimistic they can take care of all of them.” Watkins says that the Cowboys did in fact put Elliott on the back-burner before, but that’s no longer the case. “The team no longer believes they can wait on extending him in 2020,” as he could get too expensive by then, Watkins writes. They’re now going to try to lock him up this summer as well, and Watkins does some of the math that shows they should be able to squeeze them all in. Watkins does admit there could be some possible complications, but everything seems on track for the Cowboys to be able to extend all their guys.

While the aforementioned four players can all expect to be taken care of, the same can’t be said of offensive lineman La’el Collins. Watkins writes that Collins “could be one player out the door,” in order to make room for the extensions in future years. Collins “is due for a new contract next spring, but Cowboys officials are expected to let him test free agency,” Watkins reports. The team’s right tackle, Collins has started all 16 games each of the last two seasons, so this would be a big departure. Although he’s been reliable, the team has never seemed too enamored with him, so this isn’t shocking. Collins is still only 25 and will be seeking a massive contract next offseason, and it sounds like he could get priced out of Dallas’ range.
In the same piece, Watkins also has some news on linebacker Jaylon Smith. Smith was the 34th overall pick in 2016, and normally a 2016 second-round pick would be scheduled for unrestricted free agency next offseason. But because of language in the CBA, Smith will have only accrued three years of service time once this year is over. Smith, of course, was inactive his entire rookie season due to a serious injury suffered toward the end of his college career. Because of this, Smith will be a restricted free agent next spring. A source told Watkins that “the team is expected to place a second-round tender on him.” That means the Cowboys will be able to match whatever offer Smith gets from a team, and if they let him walk that team would have to give Dallas their second-round pick. Most teams aren’t willing to pay that price, which means the Cowboys will likely get Smith back at a discount next year.
In case you missed it, Elliott won’t be suspended by the league.

Extra Points: Collins, Peppers, Raiders

May 8th, 2019 at 10:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dealing with several young talents’ contract situations, the Cowboys certainly may have to let a couple of their contract-year starters walk. One of those the team may be ready to stomach departing: La’el Collins. Dallas’ starting right tackle is already on his second NFL contract, and it expires after the season. The Cowboys are expected to let Collins depart after 2019, Calvin Watkins of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Joining Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper, Jaylon Smith and Byron Jones as key Cowboys in walk years, Collins would stand to be a key presence on the 2020 free agent market. While Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones mentioned him as a player the team would like to retain, Watkins adds the team does not want to shell out a big contract to keep him — which obviously means not going near the prices Trent Brown and Ja’Wuan James received in March. This would make sense, with the Cowboys already having three well-paid offensive linemen — Tyron Smith, Zack Martin and Travis Frederick — on their roster.

The Cowboys drafted Connor McGovern in the third round and have 2018 second-rounder Connor Williams set to compete with him and Xavier Su’a-Filo for the left guard position this season. Williams may be in the mix to take over at right tackle next season, should McGovern or Su’a-Filo win this year’s left guard job, per Watkins.

Here is the latest from around the NFL:

Julius Peppers wrapped up one of the most successful careers in edge rusher history but will not be leaving the Panthers. The recently retired defensive end will take a job with the Panthers, his title being “special assistant, business operations,” the team announced. It does not sound like the 39-year-old future Hall of Famer will be contributing to the front office’s efforts, but perhaps that type of role could be in his future.
Speaking of former players landing on staffs, former Redskins safety Kyshoen Jarrett will break into full-time coaching. Jarrett is now a Redskins defensive quality control coach, per NBC Sports Washington. Suffering a career-ending injury as a rookie, Jarrett worked as a Washington coaching intern last season.
In addition to hiring former Cowboys scout Jim Abrams as their new college scouting director, the Raiders added Dwayne Joseph as their pro scouting director, Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area notes. Joseph spent the past four years in the same role with the Eagles and was a Bears staffer prior to that. With Mike Mayock retooling Oakland’s scouting department, more hires are on the way.
The Broncos will no longer have a Kubiak on their staff. After Gary and Klint Kubiak left for the Vikings, one of Gary’s other sons — Klein Kubiak — will not be part of the Broncos’ staff going forward. Klein Kubiak worked as the team’s southeast area scout, but his contract was not renewed, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic (on Twitter). Frantzy Jourdain will fill the position. Jordan spent the past three years with Houston, serving as first an area scout and then a national scout, and the previous 13 in New England. The Texans parted ways with Jourdain last month.

Cowboys OT La’el Collins Underwent Surgery

April 13th, 2019 at 12:09pm CST by Ben Levine

Cowboys offensive tackle La’el Collins underwent surgery this offseason to repair a torn rotator cuff, reports Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The team is expected “to be cautious” with Collins through OTAs and minicamp, but he’s expected to be healthy for training camp in July.

The lineman joins a growing list of notable Cowboys players who underwent offseason surgery. After inking a lucrative new deal with the team, Demarcus Lawrence underwent surgery on a torn labrum. While the pass-rusher is focused on being ready for the start of the regular season, Hill cautions that the four-to-six month recovery time means he may not be back until October.

Starting cornerback Byron Jones also underwent hip surgery back in March. He’s expected to start training camp on the physically unable to perform list.

Collins joined the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent back in 2015, and he’s emerged as a key piece on the team’s offensive line. He started all 32 regular season games over the past two seasons, including a 2018 campaign where he ranked 31st among 80 eligible offensive tackles (per Pro Football Focus). The 25-year-old is heading into the final year of his contract.