La'el Collins update

[reddyuta]

Why is water wet?

Is Water really wet?

 

[Scotman]

You weren't the dude who wanted to make the switch for the playoffs were you?

No, I simply wondered if he wouldn't be an option there in the future. Free was aging and clearly the weak link in the line.

The general gist of the responses was, "Give up the pipe dream! He's not a right tackle. "

 

[Idgit]

No, I simply wondered if he wouldn't be an option there in the future. Free was aging and clearly the weak link in the line.

The general gist of the responses was, "Give up the pipe dream! He's not a right tackle. "

People have been trying to move him to RT because they didn't like Doug Free since Collins stepped in the field. It wasn't in the cards, and that was pretty clear from the first few practices where the tried him out and decided to keep him at OG. You probably ran into some of that backslpash. Especially since we had people suggesting repeatedly that they might move him mid season and even in the playoff extra week break.

 

[SportsGuru80]

I believe he'll be our starting RT in 2017......

 

[Yakuza Rich]

The only problem I had with Collins at guard is he struggled with stunts. I'm not a fan of moving a guy around, even if it were from one guard spot to another guard spot until he gets the first guard spot down pat. The good news is that he's still young and has plenty of neuroplasticity to pick up the RT position pretty quickly. And if you hear some O-Linemen talk they actually prefer playing tackle over guard as the guard position things move very quickly and at tackle you've got a little more time to recover.

But, given the situation we are in it is best to get Collins in reps at RT for now...then hope Cooper can fill the role at LG and get Chaz Green healthy and leave ourselves with a couple of options.




YR

 

[xwalker]

The Doug Free retirement caught them completely off guard.

No, after last season they knew they had to replace him. He retired because they told him they would not pay his scheduled 5M salary.

 

[xwalker]

Anyone know when was the last time Lael took any reps on right side of the OL? I am starting to think it may be better to slide Zack out to tackle instead and keep Lael at LG. Cooper can be the RG.

Freshman year in college. I think that was 2012.

 

[Rogerthat12]

Freshman year in college. I think that was 2012.

Brugler:

BACKGROUND: A five-star offensive line recruit out of high school, Collins was wooed by a number of national programs, but there was very little question where he would play his college ball, committing to hometown LSU prior to his junior season. He saw action in seven games as a true freshman back-up before earning the starting left guard job as a sophomore, starting all 13 games in 2012. Collins kicked out to left tackle in 2013 as a junior and started 12 games (missed one due to injury), earning Second Team All-SEC honors. He started all 13 games as a senior and won the 2014 Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the top offensive lineman in the SEC, earning First Team All-SEC and some All-American honors. Collins played in the 2015 Senior Bowl.

Collins started 7 games in 2011 at LG, no mention anywhere that he took RT snaps at that time, at least that I can find to verify.

He did take some snaps at RT at Cowboys OTA's when he first came to Dallas.

 

[T-RO]

People have been trying to move him to RT because they didn't like Doug Free since Collins stepped in the field. It wasn't in the cards, and that was pretty clear from the first few practices where the tried him out and decided to keep him at OG. You probably ran into some of that backslpash. Especially since we had people suggesting repeatedly that they might move him mid season and even in the playoff extra week break.

Exactly. I suspect the team would prefer to play La'el at guard, but they don't really have a good trustworthy solution right now for RT.

They do have other guys that can play left guard.

It's a bit funny to watch Risen Star go all blowfish on us, but the reality is that if Free was still here...we wouldn't be having this conversation.

If Collins can make the transition...and it will take time...well into the next season...he'll almost certainly stick there. The team is now cornered into a lengthy transition and I highly doubt...if this experiment lasts into training camp...that they'll want to reinvest yet again in the in moving him back.

 

[Brooksey]

L.Collins is more valuable to us at right tackle then LG, he has great feet and athletic ability for a man his size. The great O-line at Dalllas will hopefully bring out the best in Cooper, he's the real deal IMO. He's been hurt and disgruntled but if he can put it together, he's one of the most athletic guards i've ever seen. What he's capable of on zone blocks is ridiculous

 

[GhostOfPelluer]

This move is all about getting the 5 best OL's on the field at the same time.

Obviously. If Green were healthy he'd probably be one of the top 5. But that's admittedly like saying if unicorns were real we'd race them instead of horses.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Unless something has really changed, this is worrisome. From what I've seen, in the past. This could be a Dak injury in waiting hah.

I hope that if he is the best RT we have now, I hope the improvement is HUGE. Cause he couldn't even sniff Free's jock last year.

 

[YosemiteSam]

L.Collins is more valuable to us at right tackle then LG, he has great feet and athletic ability for a man his size. The great O-line at Dalllas will hopefully bring out the best in Cooper, he's the real deal IMO. He's been hurt and disgruntled but if he can put it together, he's one of the most athletic guards i've ever seen. What he's capable of on zone blocks is ridiculous

He is only more valuable at RT if he is the best RT on the team. As of the end of last season, that wasn't even remotely true.

 

[diefree666]

Unless something has really changed, this is worrisome. From what I've seen, in the past. This could be a Dak injury in waiting hah.

I hope that if he is the best RT we have now, I hope the improvement is HUGE. Cause he couldn't even sniff Free's jock last year.

By the end of the season Free was easily the worst tackle on the team. His mobility was almost gone; he could still get a good push in the run game but he was a turnstyle pass blocking. He ended up with the third most sacks and pressures of ANY TACKLE in the NFL.

 

[Teague31]

By the end of the season Free was easily the worst tackle on the team. His mobility was almost gone; he could still get a good push in the run game but he was a turnstyle pass blocking. He ended up with the third most sacks and pressures of ANY TACKLE in the NFL.

This. Can't believe the number of people who are rueing the loss of Free. He was flat out awful. Collins, Green, Bell or Cleary will all be upgrades

 

[waldoputty]

No, after last season they knew they had to replace him. He retired because they told him they would not pay his scheduled 5M salary.

really.
i was suspect this.
where did you get this from?

 

[NorthwestDallas40]

I think the video was sarcastic because that was textbook.

Yea, but the article embedded was not sarcastic. Expressed real concerns.

 

[Sydla]

Yeah I don't buy the notion that the Cowboys were totally unaware that Free might retire.

 

[NorthwestDallas40]

The only problem I had with Collins at guard is he struggled with stunts. I'm not a fan of moving a guy around, even if it were from one guard spot to another guard spot until he gets the first guard spot down pat. The good news is that he's still young and has plenty of neuroplasticity to pick up the RT position pretty quickly. And if you hear some O-Linemen talk they actually prefer playing tackle over guard as the guard position things move very quickly and at tackle you've got a little more time to recover.

But, given the situation we are in it is best to get Collins in reps at RT for now...then hope Cooper can fill the role at LG and get Chaz Green healthy and leave ourselves with a couple of options.




YR

Great analysis. I think Collins' stunt awareness would be improved with him playing RT. And that is probably one of Cooper's greatest strengths at LG. We may lose some push and leverage at LG, but that E-T twist won't be as much of a problem on either side.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Great analysis. I think Collins' stunt awareness would be improved with him playing RT. And that is probably one of Cooper's greatest strengths at LG. We may lose some push and leverage at LG, but that E-T twist won't be as much of a problem on either side.

I have my concerns about the O-Line with these two, but there is no reason (outside of injuries) that we still cannot have as good of an O-Line as last year. And I really think we could have a better O-Line.

I've been a guy that has supported Free, but now I think he's being overvalued because he's gone and the media loves to make Cowboys fans panic and too many of the fans buy into it hook.line and sinker.

It will be interesting to see Cooper in action and why he was let go so many times. I know he's had injuries, but it's hard to imagine that Arians and Belichick were incorrect in their assessment. Now is the time to get Collins reps at RT, but we could really use Green to come back healthy.




YR