Who was the better player last year? Steele or Collins?

[D4KADON]

I think disrupting the chemistry they had in the early season was a big mistake

steele

 

[cowboyec]

steele.
collins wasn't the same post-contract/car incident.

 

[Acceptablename]

Collins and it wasn’t close in my view but Collins refused to be a professional

 

[Ranched]

Objectively, Collins is a better player than Steele, but to his credit Steele allowed only two sacks (same as Collins) all season, playing 290 more snaps.

 

[TequilaCowboy]

I think disrupting the chemistry they had in the early season was a big mistake

steele

After a tough start, Steele played a lot better at the RT spot and seemed to have some chemistry with Martin. Collins got what he deserved, ticket out of town.

 

[Aven8]

It was obvious Steele was hungrier to play and compete and Collins was just hungry to eat.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

Not even close.

Collins.

 

[JW82]

Its not close. Collins is gone because of $$ and this staff didn’t like him and loves Steele.

 

[Typhus]

Steele at least won the "try harder battle", and I would rather keep the OL with the right attitude together, the OL is chemistry big time, so you make sure to rid yourself of the slackers, they set a bad example to the rest of the group.
We have some nice young OL prospects to look at in this camp, and a very good chance there is a bit of a shakeup, more than some might be expecting.

 

[john van brocklin]

I think disrupting the chemistry they had in the early season was a big mistake

steele

Great question
Wish they would have put Collins back at left guard and kept Steele at right tackle

 

[quickccc]

steele.
collins wasn't the same post-contract/car incident.

you're right .. Lael just wasn't the same.
Looks like he spend the year trying to recover-regroup to form from hip surgery.

- Missing 5 games per banned suspension at season's start certainly did not help matters.

- Methinks a combination concerns surrounding that hip, Collins banned issues that included bribery.,
and as I suspect current OL coach not being fond of Collins, led to the cut-exit of Collins from the Cowboys
That wasn't a bad contract to be cut just for the sake of money.

 

[dcstar]

Mr. Steele

Go Cowboys!

 

[kskboys]

Steele. Much more down to down consistency.

Collins would make a great play now and then that would make people think he was better than he was.

 

[gimmesix]

I think disrupting the chemistry they had in the early season was a big mistake

steele

I see you are getting a split opinion on this, which is likely showing that it was a lot closer competition than any of us could have expected it to be, which is why Collins is no longer here. I can't say that Steele is the better player, but he was the better player+contract for the team. Without there being a huge difference in their play, it didn't really make sense to keep Collins, if we viewed him strictly as a left tackle.

I would have switched him to left guard, but it doesn't appear that the team was on board with that, which is why we had to spend our first-round pick on a guard/tackle.

 

[rambo2]

Collins is a flat out knucklehead.

 

[fivetwos]

Collins himself was better.

The OL as a unit was better with Steele.

Coincidence? Don't know

 

[xwalker]

I think disrupting the chemistry they had in the early season was a big mistake

steele

It was not that simple.

Below, Steele RT, then Collins out unless listed as Active.

If Steele LT, then Tyron out.

If Steele Active, then Collins starting at RT and Tyron at LT.

There were 2 games with Collins Active but not starting.

Once Steele missed a game, then Collins remained at RT.

Steele had played 100% of snaps until the game before he was out.
- In all games afterwards, he played less than 100% in the games that he started.
- i.e. Maybe he had an injury issue that limited him.

G# ... Steele
1 …... Active
2 …... RT
3 …... RT
4 …... RT
5 …... RT
6 …... RT
7 …... RT (Collins Active)
8 …... LT
9 …... LT
10 …... LT
11 …... RT (Collins Active)
12 …... Inactive
13 …... Active
14 …... LT
15 …... LT
16 …... Active
17 …... LT
18 …... Active (Playoff Game)

 

[stinkface]

Who really cares. One of them is no longer on the team. What happened last year doesn't matter moving forward.

 

[jazzcat22]

Who was better, or who was / is better for the team?
I still have some reservations about Steele. But it seems he has more playing time over the past 2 years than Collins. He has gained some valuable experience. And also we seen the improvement.

Remember an OL, Jeremy Parnell. Many wanted or thought he could take over and be better that ice skater Doug Free. But it never happened. Well, Steele is the Parnell that wasn't.
Now knowing he is the starter, and has put in the work, I think he improves even more.

 

[quickccc]

I see you are getting a split opinion on this, which is likely showing that it was a lot closer competition than any of us could have expected it to be, which is why Collins is no longer here. I can't say that Steele is the better player, but he was the better player+contract for the team. Without there being a huge difference in their play, it didn't really make sense to keep Collins, if we viewed him strictly as a left tackle.

I would have switched him to left guard, but it doesn't appear that the team was on board with that, which is why we had to spend our first-round pick on a guard/tackle.

I'm just the opposite, I would Not have been on board with switching him to OG.

- For someone who is/was trying to regain form with a hip issue, placing him inside where he is gonna have to count on bending his knees, and getting even lower to anchor,
even more so at OG in a phone booth, is differently than coming off the edge, in space on the edge would have been a big difference and a bigger challenge to Collins.

- The irony was that Cowboys staff was so hell bent on having him immediately inside at OG, and so reluctant to OT, when they first signed him as an undrafted rookie
because they thought his arm span length was too short for OT, and more suited for OG.

- But the Doug Free sudden retirement totally changed the dynamics.
Just as both the hip concern, suspension and emergence/development of Steele changed the dynamics of departure of Collins.