Twitter: La'el Collins on his future position

[kskboys]

Whatever puts the best 5 on the field. So if he wants to stay at tackle he better put in that work and beat out fleming

That is my vote X a couple thousand!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, our OL is not set at this point. We brought in Fleming to play, and he wouldn't have come here w/o a chance to start. La'el will play either OG or ORT, depending on where we need him the most combined w/ where he does best.

I'm really not understanding this strange need to make proclamations of who will play where on the OL right now. This will play out in the preseason, and we'll decide on what we think is the best combo. Why the need to proclaim as fact something that most obviously is not a fact at this point?

 

[TheCount]

I tend to agree but I will also point this out, look at how the team has handled Byron Jones.

I have no idea what they've done with Byron. We haven't had a good safety here in so long, it's hard to gauge how much of it is Byron vs safeties being put in position to succeed.

We're calling Heath The GOAT because he's the only guy that's made any plays whatsoever in forever.

 

[kskboys]

If we signed Flemmings or Martin with the expectation they would compete for starting position......we are in trouble.

Since we're short a starter at RT or OG, why?

 

[silver]

So if Flemming plays lights out at RT, they just keep him on the bench anyway.

Yes because they'll need him eventually to play tackle based on the injury history of both Tyron and La'el

 

[Wood]

smart man.

 

[Verdict]

Looney is going to be given an opportunity to start. Chaz Green wasn’t terrible at guard, but he’s made out of porcelain.

I'll be very surprised if Looney starts unless someone is lost for the season.

 

[Beaker42]

I'll be very surprised if Looney starts unless someone is lost for the season.

Or the Sack Man Green. I hated the pick then and all he’s done is prove my feelings correct. That’s yet another high pick wasted for those counting at home.

 

[MeAgain]

Or the Sack Man Green. I hated the pick then and all he’s done is prove my feelings correct. That’s yet another high pick wasted for those counting at home.

Yes indeed. It a good thing that Dak is bigger then Romo , he can take the pounding a little better.

 

[Section446]

Everyone would rather be an OT, the money is much better.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Then they are idiots.

Ironic. When he was playing well at guard, some were saying they would be idiots to move him to a position he didnt play. Now that he played Tackle one year, guys like you are saying the opposite. Im for the best 5 lineman starting. Collins has played both position and done so well. Personally, I think he can be a GREAT guard and a good tackle. But like I said........it all depends on who the missing piece is. So if we have two good RT's and a boob like Cooper at guard are you telling me you are going to play the boob at guard and leave a hole? Or put Collins at Guard and have a 5 good lineman?

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I have no idea what they've done with Byron. We haven't had a good safety here in so long, it's hard to gauge how much of it is Byron vs safeties being put in position to succeed.

We're calling Heath The GOAT because he's the only guy that's made any plays whatsoever in forever.

I just feel like it's a bad idea to draft a young player and then switch him back and forth, between positions, before he really has a chance to learn his craft at either one. I think all that does is compound the problems a young player has, coming into the league. It's one thing to bring a player in and realize that he is better suited to another position but you don't draft a kid and play him at one position and then the next year switch him and then do that again and again. That just hurts the player and the team, to me. Then you get the fan base against the player because he is not developing into what you expect. That's just bad to me.

 

[INCowboysFan]

I guess Jimmy didn’t know what he was doing by moving Nate Newton and Larry Allen around? The idea isn’t as wildly crazy as you imagine. Seems some are more interested in Collins as an individual than the overall unit.

Jimmy had nothing to do with Larry Allen. he was drafted after Jimmy left.

 

[OmerV]

If Collins only wants to stay at tackle for the money, he's making a big mistake. I'm sure he could make more money as a dominant left guard than as a so-so/slightly above average right tackle.

I don't think there is full agreement on his abilities at either RT or LG

Jimmy had nothing to do with Larry Allen. he was drafted after Jimmy left.

You're right - good catch.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Since we're short a starter at RT or OG, why?

One word........talent
Wouldn't trust either player for more than two games. This is no different than what many of us have talked about signing bottom feeders and expect them to come here and start or play at high level. If they were that good, they would be more in demand, meaning higher market value.

 

[TheCount]

I just feel like it's a bad idea to draft a young player and then switch him back and forth, between positions, before he really has a chance to learn his craft at either one. I think all that does is compound the problems a young player has, coming into the league. It's one thing to bring a player in and realize that he is better suited to another position but you don't draft a kid and play him at one position and then the next year switch him and then do that again and again. That just hurts the player and the team, to me. Then you get the fan base against the player because he is not developing into what you expect. That's just bad to me.

We are agreed.

 

[OmerV]

I just feel like it's a bad idea to draft a young player and then switch him back and forth, between positions, before he really has a chance to learn his craft at either one. I think all that does is compound the problems a young player has, coming into the league. It's one thing to bring a player in and realize that he is better suited to another position but you don't draft a kid and play him at one position and then the next year switch him and then do that again and again. That just hurts the player and the team, to me. Then you get the fan base against the player because he is not developing into what you expect. That's just bad to me.

I agree that moving Collins from one spot to another and back again isn't the best for his personal development, but at the end of the day the team has to do what's best for the team, even if it isn't ideal for the individual. Hopefully it works out that we get a capable OG so that what's best for the team also allows Collins to stay put, but if that doesn't happen, and we have stronger options at OT, it may be best for the team to move Collins. The overall strength of the unit is the primary concern.

 

[cern]

well, it looks as if it really all depends on flemming and how well he plays at the rt spot if that's where he's going to be given the opportunity to start. as for the money, top guards are now in the 12-13 million range. left tackles typically get the big bucks, not right tackles. so while i'd prefer la'el remain at rt, I can understand why the team might want to move him back to guard. just hope we don't do a tyrone Crawford job on him with all the moves back and forth.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I agree that moving Collins from one spot to another and back again isn't the best for his personal development, but at the end of the day the team has to do what's best for the team, even if it isn't ideal for the individual. Hopefully it works out that we get a capable OG so that what's best for the team also allows Collins to stay put, but if that doesn't happen, and we have stronger options at OT, it may be best for the team to move Collins. The overall strength of the unit is the primary concern.

I don't think we have stronger options at OT. I think we are in a much better situation at Guard. I would not move him, especially if that's not what he wants to do. He's an FA after 2019. You put that kid back at Guard and I can almost guarantee he leaves. Assuming we sign Martin, I don't see us shelling out another huge contract for another Guard. He can make more money at RT and he knows that. He will leave for a team who will sign him for Tackle money IMO. I just don't see it as the best play for us for a lot of reasons, including his ability to play the tackle position. Besides, he may end up at LT if we can't get Smith's back worked out. He knows that too.

 

[OmerV]

I don't think we have stronger options at OT. I think we are in a much better situation at Guard. I would not move him, especially if that's not what he wants to do. He's an FA after 2019. You put that kid back at Guard and I can almost guarantee he leaves. Assuming we sign Martin, I don't see us shelling out another huge contract for another Guard. He can make more money at RT and he knows that. He will leave for a team who will sign him for Tackle money IMO. I just don't see it as the best play for us for a lot of reasons, including his ability to play the tackle position. Besides, he may end up at LT if we can't get Smith's back worked out. He knows that too.

You may be right, but my guess is Flemming is a better option at OT than Marcus Martin or Looney are at OG. Of course the draft might change things too.

It really shouldn't matter if Collins wants to move. Individual players don't have an equal vote, nor should they because their vote would be geared toward what they personally prefer and not what helps the team the most. The coach's beliefs, nor the team's interest should be overridden by a player's desire to play a position that might pay better.

Keep in mind, I'm not saying he should move, I'm just saying the team has to weigh the options and decide what will result in the strongest possible O-Line.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

You may be right, but my guess is Flemming is a better option at OT than Marcus Martin or Looney are at OG. Of course the draft might change things too.

It really shouldn't matter if Collins wants to move. Individual players don't have an equal vote, nor should they because their vote would be geared toward what they personally prefer and not what helps the team the most. The coach's beliefs, nor the team's interest should be overridden by a player's desire to play a position that might pay better.

Keep in mind, I'm not saying he should move, I'm just saying the team has to weigh the options and decide what will result in the strongest possible O-Line.

Man, I just don't agree at all. I mean, there are some players who absolutely do not have a vote. Then, there are some players, because of talent level or contractual leverage who absolutely do.

I think Collins falls within the latter of the two.

The real problem, as I see it, is that if you say Flemming is the new RT and Collins is moving to Guard, then you still have the same problem with Swing Tackle. We still don't have one and that's the problem we had last year. Probably cost us a couple of games.