La el Collins RT / OG

[Stash]

But they made the decision knowing Parnell was going to get a bigger contract than Free. They didn't know Parnell would get twice what Free would take, but they had to know it would be at least 50% more than Free would sign for.

They re-signed Free before the start of free agency. They knew who they wanted to keep. Did they know that resigning Free would be less expensive than signing Parnell long term? Sure they did.

Free is one of the best five, the question is his health.

I agree. But unless, he really struggles to recover and Green is terrible, I think Collins plays LG this year and possibly long term.

 

[RastaRocket]

I see you are not a people person.

Hey, Leary could very well be the better player coming out of camp. Collins has yet to prove anything at this level.

 

[silver]

Leary had a great year. He held his owns vs JJ Watt if I'm not mistaken. The best position for Collins IMO is RT. Not that Free should sit this year, but if he misess time to injury, Collins might just take his spot and wont surrender it. We could have the same starting five for the next decade.

 

[erod]

Collins has not played the Right Side. He needs practice reps there if he if going to be considered for the Swing Tackle position. As a rookie he needs to focus on Guard or Tackle in training camp.

If he is that great, then he should be able to push Free for the starting position.

IMO, they only have Collins focus on Guard if Weem/Green look spectacular OR they have Martin train as the backup OT in training camp. I'm certain that will have Martin cross train at a 2nd position, but I would prefer to see him become the backup Center option. If Martin could serve as the game-day backup Center, then Bernadeau could be inactive which would allow them to have Leary, Collins and Green/Weems active.

He might not have played it, but I guarantee you with a week's work, he could outperform Weems and Green this season. He's just a far superior athlete.

I could see a lot of 12 personnel with Swaim out next to Free, and Collins in place of Leary.

 

[xwalker]

Collins can be starter at LG, Free goes down move Collins to RT and you still have Berny that can play all 3 interior spots

He is a rookie. He will need to focus on a specific position in training camp.

 

[xwalker]

There obviously are many ways this could go. One that I've kind of thought possible since we signed La'el is:

Play Collins at LG and RT through camp with the thought that he will win the LG spot. Train Green or Weems as the swing tackle for game days.

Then, let's say Free gets a high ankle sprain and will miss 5 weeks. During the game that he gets hurt, Green comes in and finishes the game at RT. However, that week of practice, they could get Collins ready to start at RT and Leary ready to go in at guard. Teams do things like that all the time. All you would have to worry about Green for is part of 1 game.

Now, the thing is, the team would have to give Collins pretty significant snaps at RT during camp to have the transition go pretty smoothly... but it is something they could do.

I do think Collins is smart enough and talented enough for this very scenario.

It will be difficult for him to win the job over Leary if he is splitting time between OT and OG unless they're just going to "give" him the job and let him develop as the season progresses.

I'm concerned we might be spoiled with the quick development of Martin, Fred and Tyron. More often rookie OL struggle even 1st rounders.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

It will be difficult for him to win the job over Leary if he is splitting time between OT and OG unless they're just going to "give" him the job and let him develop as the season progresses.

I'm concerned we might be spoiled with the quick development of Martin, Fred and Tyron. More often rookie OL struggle even 1st rounders.

Seems like we just know how to pick OL. Ever thought about that or are you going to continue to think you know more then everybody including Dallas.

 

[Aliencowboy]

Replacing Leary with Collins would be a minimal upgrade in 2015. The Cowboys have a much bigger need at backup OT or possibly starting RT depending on Free's recovery from ankle surgery. They should make the decision based on finding the best backup OT. It seems that Collins would be the best choice there unless Green or Weems do something fantastic in training camp.

I'm quite sure Collins will not be backing up anyone this season. Leary was a 3rd rounder with a healthy knee, Collins 1st round talent. Your overrating an average OG in Leary

 

[AsthmaField]

I'm concerned we might be spoiled with the quick development of Martin, Fred and Tyron. More often rookie OL struggle even 1st rounders.

I understand, and maybe I'm guilty of doing that at this point with Collins... but he has everything he needs to succeed at this level and I do think there is a chance he is the day 1 starter at LG.

What you say is wise though. Not all rookies progress at the same speed and if Collins doesn't start against the NYG week 1, there will probably be a large segment of fans saying he isn't as good as Frederick, Smith, and Martin. That won't necessarily be the truth though.

If I had to guess at this point, I would say it is most likely for Collins to work his way in over the first half of the season.

I have to say, this is an incredibly talented group of OL that Dallas has put together. It is difficult to believe the Cowboys got so lucky as to get such a dominant G/T as an UDFA. Incredible.

That's just going to make everyone else hate Dallas that much more.

**Time to go read the Trolling The Nation thread again.**

 

[gimmesix]

I expect Free to be the starter if healthy. The issue that they don't have a backup as of right now.

I would train Collins as the swing tackle, playing primarily at RT in training camp. If Free is perfectly healthy, then I would let Collins practice at Guard during the season and start giving him a few snaps per Game at Left Guard and maybe a lot of snaps in any blowout games.

If Green or Weems look spectacular at OT, then I would move Collins to LG in training camp, but then and only then.

The other issue is that if Collins trains at Guard, then the loser between him and Leary won't even be active on game day because the interior backup has to be able to play Center. That would result in a game day lineup of Green or Weems active with Collins or Leary inactive.

Game day, I think Collins would be both the starting guard and swing tackle. We would take Leary and Bernadeau as the backups. Collins would move to RT and Leary come in at LG if something were to happen to Free. (He'd probably also go to LT if something happened to Smith.)

If Free is still recovering to start camp, Collins could get starting reps there and then switch to LG, which shouldn't be much of a transition for him since he played it.

 

[xwalker]

I'm quite sure Collins will not be backing up anyone this season. Leary was a 3rd rounder with a healthy knee, Collins 1st round talent. Your overrating an average OG in Leary

Draft position is not 100% about talent. Readiness is also part of the ranking of draft picks. If Leary had 3 years of pro coaching and top level competition, he would have been a higher rated player. At this point it is 3rd round talent with 3 years pro coaching and 2 years pro starting experience vs rookie 1st round talent.

 

[Bluefin]

Game day, I think Collins would be both the starting guard and swing tackle. We would take Leary and Bernadeau as the backups. Collins would move to RT and Leary come in at LG if something were to happen to Free. (He'd probably also go to LT if something happened to Smith.)

I'm not going to expect a rookie to earn the starting job at LG and also be prepared to play LT or RT during a game.

La'el Collins would need every practice snap possible inside at LG.

Tyron Smith was on an episode of Cowboys Hour last season and was asked about the hardest job on the OL. His response was Swing Tackle.

It's a guess right now who the new Swinger will be. Darrion Weems, Chaz Green, Collins, someone else.

Whomever it is, I expect they will be solely focused on just that job.

I'd like to see Collins compete at LG, I think it's his best pro position.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I think he ends up at RT. Not because I don't like Free but instead because with Free out for the preseason, I am expecting that Collins will fill in at RT for the next few months. I also think Free is likely the best swing tackle candidate on the roster not named Tyron.

 

[burmafrd]

I think the wild card here is Green. How quickly he developes. If they think he can hack it, they will put collins at LG and leave him there and Green becomes the backup tackle; if tyron goes down Green goes to RT and Free to LT. If Free goes down Green goes to RT.

Dallas does not want to move Tyron, Fredbeard or Martin. They are clearly each in the position they are best at and that is All Pro Level.

That leaves Free and Leary as the replaceables. Collins is the best athlete we have coming in and they have to be thinking about replacing Free. BUT then again the comfort level they have with Free is also a big factor. Leary has that knee that is a ticking time bomb; the front office has to be constantly aware of that. To me the development of Green will be critical; if he shows well they put collins at LG to battle Leary. If he looks not so good - well its not clear what the staff thinks of our other tackles but I really doubt they value them all that much. If Green does not look good they have to think about collins at swing tackle. OR they might try Collins at RT with Free's rehab not coming along as fast as hoped. And if he shines there Leary stays at LG and Collins might very well start at RT with Free thus the swing tackle.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

People forget that he played LT all year at LSU and that switching sides, as D.Free or TSmith would tell you, takes some adjusting to the footwork. In all likelihood, Collins will beat out R. Leary in camp while spending time preparing for RT for year 3 and be paid as a RT.

2 years of this line: T.Smith Collins Fredbeard Martin Free - just unbelievable.

La' el is like a god already! Rule, La'el!!

 

[Aliencowboy]

La' el is like a god already! Rule, La'el!!

That's so clever- no wait ...

 

[gimmesix]

I'm not going to expect a rookie to earn the starting job at LG and also be prepared to play LT or RT during a game.

La'el Collins would need every practice snap possible inside at LG.

Tyron Smith was on an episode of Cowboys Hour last season and was asked about the hardest job on the OL. His response was Swing Tackle.

It's a guess right now who the new Swinger will be. Darrion Weems, Chaz Green, Collins, someone else.

Whomever it is, I expect they will be solely focused on just that job.

I'd like to see Collins compete at LG, I think it's his best pro position.

If the best five start, you want your next best two as the game-day backups. That would be Leary and Berny.

 

[Bluefin]

If the best five start, you want your next best two as the game-day backups. That would be Leary and Berny.

Go to games without a reserve swing tackle?

There's no chance of that occurring.

Mackenzy Bernadeau would be the interior reserve, Ronald Leary would serve no purpose as a reserve guard unless the team wanted to dress 8 OL in a particular week.

It would be Leary and an OT.

Your method would require a guard to shift out to OT, a position he wouldn't be practicing at, and then bring in another guard to take his spot.

Moving two players to account for one injury is not ideal.

I think he ends up at RT. Not because I don't like Free but instead because with Free out for the preseason, I am expecting that Collins will fill in at RT for the next few months. I also think Free is likely the best swing tackle candidate on the roster not named Tyron.

Interesting.

But I don't expect Doug Free to miss the pre-season.

He's going to miss OTAs while continuing rehab, but should be cleared before or during training camp, IMO.

If I'm close to the mark on Free, the team may be more interested in trying La'el Collins at LG in order to get the "best five" on the field.

I think the wild card here is Green. How quickly he developes.

I just hope he develops.

T, G, whatever.

 

[gimmesix]

Go to games without a reserve swing tackle?

There's no chance of that occurring.

Mackenzy Bernadeau would be the interior reserve, Ronald Leary would serve no purpose as a reserve guard unless the team wanted to dress 8 OL in a particular week.

It would be Leary and an OT.

Your method would require a guard to shift out to OT, a position he wouldn't be practicing at, and then bring in another guard to take his spot.

Moving two players to account for one injury is not ideal.

I'm of a different mind-set than you. Leary is clearly among our top six and a big step up from Bernadeau. If he could play center, Berny wouldn't need to dress on game day. I have no doubt that Collins will be a clear step up from the swing tackles we could take to games.

I'm all for not moving two players to account for one unless those players are much better than what's available. Why would anyone want to play Weems at RT when you can play Collins there? Just to keep from having to make two moves?

Best seven gives us a chance to not miss a beat if one goes down.

 

[Noryb]

People act like Leary is the descending, soon to be 32yr old player who's coming off injury. It's a contract year for Leary, who's currently playing on an UDFA deal. He doesn't have to better than Collins he just needs to be better than Free. It just makes more sense to have Collins start at RT and make Free the swing tackle, while making Green inactive.