Garrett Has La’el Collins at Left Guard First Over Possible Move To Tackle

[BrAinPaiNt]

I'd prefer to give Cooper a legitimate shot to win the starting LG spot. He showed in college that he has the talent. And if he was available, it sure sounds like he would have been Dallas' 1st round pick that year. I trust Cooper more than I trust Chaz Green to stay healthy. And I trust Collins to do a good job at RT more than I do Byron Bell, a guy who wasn't drafted.

Those are my personal preferences although they don't seem to align with what Garrett is saying. Then again, he'd still have Doug Free at RT if he had his way.

Cooper has not managed to stay healthy for a good portion of his NFL career thus far and when he was healthy he has not managed to keep his starting job on two different teams. We can only hope he comes back to form like many thought he would be coming out of college although if people remember he was kind of a big time riser in the draft. It would be nice if he became our Columbo so to speak.

However I doubt that will be the case. They want collins to be the OG...Even when leary was healthy before they put Collins as the starter last year until Collins got hurt.

They were not going to pay Collins Top OG money. They like Collins upside more and keep in mind that Leary still has a knee condition that will likely hurt him in the future.

Many scouts said that Collins was best suited for playing inside vs outside. I remember one scout saying something along the lines that he could play RT at a journeymen level or play OG and become an ALL PRO level. Of course they said similar stuff about Z.Martin although they were better reports for martin at OT than Collins.

Again if our RTs struggle...Collins will get his chance. But that is not what they want and it is pretty obvious that it is not what they want at this time.

 

[Rogerthat12]

Cooper has not managed to stay healthy for a good portion of his NFL career thus far and when he was healthy he has not managed to keep his starting job on two different teams. We can only hope he comes back to form like many thought he would be coming out of college although if people remember he was kind of a big time riser in the draft. It would be nice if he became our Columbo so to speak.

However I doubt that will be the case. They want collins to be the OG...Even when leary was healthy before they put Collins as the starter last year until Collins got hurt.

They were not going to pay Collins Top OG money. They like Collins upside more and keep in mind that Leary still has a knee condition that will likely hurt him in the future.

Many scouts said that Collins was best suited for playing inside vs outside. I remember one scout saying something along the lines that he could play RT at a journeymen level or play OG and become an ALL PRO level. Of course they said similar stuff about Z.Martin although they were better reports for martin at OT than Collins.

Again if our RTs struggle...Collins will get his chance. But that is not what they want and it is pretty obvious that it is not what they want at this time.

You nailed it! Plus this line is pretty clear from the head coach with reference to Collins staying at LG, “I think that would be in his best interest,” Garrett said.

Doubters should ask the question what do "in his best interest" mean?

 

[Risen Star]

What it "told me" was that there was very little commitment to it. Honestly, what does a week's worth of practice tell you? If they pulled the plug on everything so quickly, nobody would ever succeed.

If anybody thinks that a week's worth of time for a rookie transition is adequate, they're flat out wrong.

Plus it's pretty common to do that with a rookie. Move him around initially in the summer before settling him in where you want him. I believe they did the same thing with Martin.

It showed you nothing.

People don't really believe Collins can't play RT. They just thought the team believed it and fell in line like good little soldiers.

 

[tyke1doe]

I, too, hope Cooper lives up to his draft stock. He well could. I like him.

Which round was he taken in and by which team?

 

[haleyrules]

Which round was he taken in and by which team?

Cooper was taken 7th overall by the Cardinals 2013. Top pick but has not lived up to his draft position or even close to it. He is a mystery.

 

[Yoshimitsu]

Cooper was taken 7th overall by the Cardinals 2013. Top pick but has not lived up to his draft position or even close to it. He is a mystery.

He never will. Hes a depth player.

 

[haleyrules]

He never will. Hes a depth player.

Sadly, you are probably right.

 

[tyke1doe]

Cooper was taken 7th overall by the Cardinals 2013. Top pick but has not lived up to his draft position or even close to it. He is a mystery.

Thanks. I didn't know he was taken that high.

 

[silver]

Thanks. I didn't know he was taken that high.

He's been injured most of his professional career. Leg problems. I don't know if it's been bad luck or what, but he's hardly played in four years.

 

[TheCount]

Thanks. I didn't know he was taken that high.

I'm sure you at least half remember the heated debates between Cooper and Chance Warmack. Neither of them ended up being worth all the hype, but at least Warmack has been starting his entire career. Warmack is now with the Eagles, btw.

 

[Stash]

Cooper has not managed to stay healthy for a good portion of his NFL career thus far and when he was healthy he has not managed to keep his starting job on two different teams.

All true, but nobody does injured like Chaz Green. That guy has written the book on getting paid while being unavailable.

We can only hope he comes back to form like many thought he would be coming out of college although if people remember he was kind of a big time riser in the draft. It would be nice if he became our Columbo so to speak.

That's what I'm hoping for. I don't think he'll ever be in a better position to succeed. In the perfect scheme for his abilities, sitting between two Pro Bowlers on either side, among the hardest workers in football. If it doesn't happen here, I don't see it happening anywhere.

However I doubt that will be the case. They want collins to be the OG...Even when leary was healthy before they put Collins as the starter last year until Collins got hurt.

They were not going to pay Collins Top OG money. They like Collins upside more and keep in mind that Leary still has a knee condition that will likely hurt him in the future.[/quote]

Collins got the job because Leary was hurt too. And I'm assuming you meant that they were not going to pay Leary top OG money?

Many scouts said that Collins was best suited for playing inside vs outside. I remember one scout saying something along the lines that he could play RT at a journeymen level or play OG and become an ALL PRO level. Of course they said similar stuff about Z.Martin although they were better reports for martin at OT than Collins.

I saw plenty that said he could play tackle, maybe not on the left, but that he could play tackle.

Again if our RTs struggle...Collins will get his chance. But that is not what they want and it is pretty obvious that it is not what they want at this time.

"If they struggle", it will already be too late to give Collins a fair chance. He needs the work on technique in the offseason because it's not just plug and play.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

All true, but nobody does injured like Chaz Green. That guy has written the book on getting paid while being unavailable.



That's what I'm hoping for. I don't think he'll ever be in a better position to succeed. In the perfect scheme for his abilities, sitting between two Pro Bowlers on either side, among the hardest workers in football. If it doesn't happen here, I don't see it happening anywhere.



They were not going to pay Collins Top OG money. They like Collins upside more and keep in mind that Leary still has a knee condition that will likely hurt him in the future.

Collins got the job because Leary was hurt too. And I'm assuming you meant that they were not going to pay Leary top OG money?



I saw plenty that said he could play tackle, maybe not on the left, but that he could play tackle.



"If they struggle", it will already be too late to give Collins a fair chance. He needs the work on technique in the offseason because it's not just plug and play.

Yes I meant not Paying Leary...braincramp for brainpaint on that one.

Keep in mind my dream scenario would be Cooper pulls a Columbo and does well at OG and Collins goes over to RT because frankly I don't see Green staying healthy. So in that area we are in agreement of what we WANT.

However...what we want and they want seems to be two different things.


Oh and for the record when talking about Green and Bell at OT as possibly one playing while the other is injured...I forgot to mention they also will have Looney in the rotation in camp.

With a number of OTs on the roster prior to this year they gave them many chances to beat out free but none could do it and mostly because they could not stay healthy.

We will see if Green can stay healthy...I would wager he does not make it a week into camp before getting injured.

 

[Stash]

Yes I meant not Paying Leary...braincramp for brainpaint on that one.

Keep in mind my dream scenario would be Cooper pulls a Columbo and does well at OG and Collins goes over to RT because frankly I don't see Green staying healthy. So in that area we are in agreement of what we WANT.

However...what we want and they want seems to be two different things.

Sounds that way, unfortunately...

 

[tyke1doe]

I'm sure you at least half remember the heated debates between Cooper and Chance Warmack. Neither of them ended up being worth all the hype, but at least Warmack has been starting his entire career. Warmack is now with the Eagles, btw.

Actually, I don't remember that. I must have missed that one somehow.

 

[kevm3]

Keep the guy at the position he was drafted for. I think we're going to mess up a lot of guys careers by having them jump all over the place.