Why I think Collins replaces Free

[Texas_Pete]

Are the Cowboys worried about Leary's knee long-term? If not I am all for re-signing him long-term. He's a road grater and still 25 (or younger?).

OTOH, move Collins there if we expect Leary gone after this year anyway. Why? Gigantic athletic DLs like Cox, Poe and Suh could give us trouble on 3rd and goal. We need these positions to be able to move piles. Collins-Fred Beard - Martin would give us the best LG-C-RG combo for the next decade.

In this scenario we groom Chaz Green to be our future RT (I'm sure Collins won't like this scenario if he wants to be a RT). Outlook: Smith - Collins - Fred Beard - Martin - Green.

 

[AsthmaField]

When thinking about this, there are a few things that just stick out to me and that I feel like will happen:

*Doug Free, if healthy, is who they want starting at RT, this year for sure and probably this year and next.

*The team really does like Green and I think they fully expect him to be the swing tackle for the next two seasons and then take over for Free at RT. This year Green needs to learn, get fully healthy and get stronger. Next season, he can legitimately compete with Free as the starter at RT.

*I think the team likes Leary and they 100% expected him to be the starter at LG. However, Collins was just a great opportunity to add blue chip talent and was a player the team had rated very highly, so they took a shot at getting another first round player for pennies on the dollar. Lo and behold, they got him.

*Now, it is just a matter of using Collins to up the competition along the OL. They don't want him to replace Martin, and he probably couldn't replace Frederick or Smith... so that leaves RT and LG.

*There are already significant resources at RT with Free, Green, Weems, and Gibson. Who is going to provide the competition for Leary at LG? Bernadeau? Now, they have a guy in Collins that can legitimately push Leary for that position and the loser will be maybe the best backup guard in football. That is a situation that I think Garrett is going to like a lot because he very much values competition at every position.

The winner will have earned the job and will have no doubt been pushed to be the best he can be.

Am I correct? I don't know... but that is how I view it at this point.

Now if Free is out for an extended period or something? That would change everything, of course... but If everyone stays healthy, that is what I see the team doing.

 

[TwoDeep3]

If GB's premise is they are playing him at RT and this is an indicator because they would never teach a rookie multiple positions, then explain why Martin played snaps at center last year before he ever played on game in the NFL.i

 

[xwalker]

This could be my bias and desire shaping the narrative, but I think that as a promising young rookie you generally want them to start out and stick to the position that you want them to play.

If the Cowboys wanted the transition to be easier for Collins, they could have kept him at left guard and let him battle it out with Leary. They could have let Green and Weems fight it out at tackle until Free is ready to go.

I can't help but think that starting him out at Right Tackle early, something they know he has never done was about giving him the most amount of time to acclimate to the position and to push Free to the bench. It's hard enough to come into the league as a rookie, but to have to learn multiple positions? That's just not something you generally ask a player with a first round grade to do.

I think the best example of that is Byron Jones. There was talk about him playing safety and corner, but they've played him exclusively at corner. I think they would rather hedge on corner and at worst create better depth there than to play Jones at safety, and then last minute have a crisis at corner that he has to be thrown into. The same can be said for splitting time between the two positions.

They're playing Jones at corner in right now because that is the highest value position and it is the position that currently lacks the most depth. Does Carr take that pay cut? How will Claiborne look in training camp? Until those things are answered, Jones is most valuable at corner, despite the ideal situation playing him at safety.

I think the ideal situation may have had Collins at left guard, but tackle is certainly the more valuable position even on the right side. I hope Collins can win that spot and anchor it going forward.

They have not identified a backup OT. That is a very important position. They have a known commodity as the backup interior guy in Bernadeau, but now that Parnell is gone, they don't have an established backup OT.

In theory (1st round talent) Collins should be the best option between himself, Green and Weems. IMO, Green or Weems needs to prove that they are as good or better options as the backup OT before Collins is moved to Guard.

Obviously, once they determine the top backup OT, that player would also be the one to push Free for the starting job if any of them can do that.

If something happens one of the starting OTs and they don't have a quality backup then the team is in big trouble. Having a quality backup is a huge benefit. On the flip side, having Collins replace Leary is of minimal benefit in 2015.

I don't see any correlation to the situation with Byron Jones. Trying to make that comparison just clouds the original point.

 

[CF74]

I don't care if it's Collins, Gibson, or Green. Just give the job to the guy who wins the spot. Free is more mentor than anything else right now just like Colombo is to some degree...

 

[The Realist]

The moment Free and Mo are cleared to practice full on Collins goes to LG and Jones goes to FS. The organization wants Chaz at RT and Collins at LG long term.

 

[yimyammer]

I think the ideal situation may have had Collins at left guard, but tackle is certainly the more valuable position even on the right side. I hope Collins can win that spot and anchor it going forward.

No doubt this is the most beneficial for the team if he can play the position which I am hoping he can and play it well.

It would be awesome if he excels at this position, Leary continues to improve, stays healthy and can stay with the team on reasonable terms or perhaps Collins or another young player can outperform him and takeover his job.

 

[Galian Beast]

No doubt this is the most beneficial for the team if he can play the position which I am hoping he can and play it well.

It would be awesome if he excels at this position, Leary continues to improve, stays healthy and can stay with the team on reasonable terms or perhaps Collins or another young player can outperform him and takeover his job.

I think it is easier to replace Leary in the future with another guard prospect. It's always difficult to find quality tackles.

 

[Galian Beast]

They have not identified a backup OT. That is a very important position. They have a known commodity as the backup interior guy in Bernadeau, but now that Parnell is gone, they don't have an established backup OT.

In theory (1st round talent) Collins should be the best option between himself, Green and Weems. IMO, Green or Weems needs to prove that they are as good or better options as the backup OT before Collins is moved to Guard.

Obviously, once they determine the top backup OT, that player would also be the one to push Free for the starting job if any of them can do that.

If something happens one of the starting OTs and they don't have a quality backup then the team is in big trouble. Having a quality backup is a huge benefit. On the flip side, having Collins replace Leary is of minimal benefit in 2015.

I don't see any correlation to the situation with Byron Jones. Trying to make that comparison just clouds the original point.

I think the comparison is valid. It's almost the exact same situation.

You have two rookie players with position flex. They are both being played at the most valuable position, rather than the position where fans think they could be the best at long term.

 

[Brooksey]

And Collins doesn't have the lateral footwork to play tackle in the NFL...just like Martin didn't, both skill set is at Guard in the NFL and damn good ones at that..

Collins has plenty of feet to play RT, he has at least two of them. He has very good lateral quickness that I can see unless you can provide some proof he doesn't? Your just popping out things that fit where "You" think he should play, which is based on where the draft media thinks he should play.

 

[Brooksey]

The moment Free and Mo are cleared to practice full on Collins goes to LG and Jones goes to FS. The organization wants Chaz at RT and Collins at LG long term.

If you want to upgrade the talent on the line from last year, then Doug Free is done as a starter, end of story. He's a cream puff dude, Collins is a mauler.

I agree with Byron Jones to FS.

 

[Risen Star]

To me its up to Leary and Free. Whoever looks better starts. Collins plays the other spot.

 

[CATCH17]

Leary > Free all day.

Plus Collins makes us more athletic on the edge and Free gives us depth at both tackle positions.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

[quote"Risen Star, post: 6140470, member: 5331"]To me its up to Leary and Free. Whoever looks better starts. Collins plays the other spot.[/quote]

only problem with that is you don't want to move collins midway through training camp

 

[Manwiththeplan]

And Collins doesn't have the lateral footwork to play tackle in the NFL...just like Martin didn't, both skill set is at Guard in the NFL and damn good ones at that..

From a numbers stand point, his athletic numbers from the combine are as good as most RTs and he is only behind guys that project to LT. While I have no doubt he would make a better guard it won't be because he can't play RT. Same goes for Martin who compares favorably to most RTs except in arm length.

 

[windjc]

This could be my bias and desire shaping the narrative, but I think that as a promising young rookie you generally want them to start out and stick to the position that you want them to play.

If the Cowboys wanted the transition to be easier for Collins, they could have kept him at left guard and let him battle it out with Leary. They could have let Green and Weems fight it out at tackle until Free is ready to go.

I can't help but think that starting him out at Right Tackle early, something they know he has never done was about giving him the most amount of time to acclimate to the position and to push Free to the bench. It's hard enough to come into the league as a rookie, but to have to learn multiple positions? That's just not something you generally ask a player with a first round grade to do.

I think the best example of that is Byron Jones. There was talk about him playing safety and corner, but they've played him exclusively at corner. I think they would rather hedge on corner and at worst create better depth there than to play Jones at safety, and then last minute have a crisis at corner that he has to be thrown into. The same can be said for splitting time between the two positions.

They're playing Jones at corner in right now because that is the highest value position and it is the position that currently lacks the most depth. Does Carr take that pay cut? How will Claiborne look in training camp? Until those things are answered, Jones is most valuable at corner, despite the ideal situation playing him at safety.

I think the ideal situation may have had Collins at left guard, but tackle is certainly the more valuable position even on the right side. I hope Collins can win that spot and anchor it going forward.

Collins will have to be MUCH better than Free to win that spot. Because a mistake at RT and Romo could be gone for the season. Rookies almost always struggle and Free has a built cohesion with Martin.

Putting Collins in the line anywhere - RT or LG - is a risk because of his inexperience. So if Collins starts it will most likely be only if he wins a position out right heads and shoulders above another.

 

[windjc]

To me its up to Leary and Free. Whoever looks better starts. Collins plays the other spot.

Yeah, because Collins doesn't have to win the position by performing better than 1 or both of them in camp. Lol.

In truth, the only way Collins starts is if he wins one of the positions clearly and outright. Otherwise its a risk to break up continuity in a line that performed so well together last year.

 

[Beast_from_East]

I hate to bring this up guys, but this is the NFL and the odds of all 5 offensive lineman staying healthy all season is pretty slim. Somebody is going to get hurt at some point, maybe more than one, so you need players that can play multiple positions.

Collins might have to play both RT and LG this season for all we know.

 

[xwalker]

Now if Free is out for an extended period or something? That would change everything, of course... but If everyone stays healthy, that is what I see the team doing.

IMO, they have to prepare as if Free can't play. He had foot/ankle surgery in both Jan 2014 and Jan 2015. He missed a third of last season and he is now 31.

They can't treat the backup OT spot as a developmental position. That player has to be ready to play in game 1. Romo's healthy is the #1 issue for this team. They must find the best backup OT possible. If Collins if better than Green/Weems, then he should practice at RT in training camp. Obviously, the backup OT would practice at LT also, but Collins needs most of his reps to come at RT because he was always on the left in college.

As a rookie, I don't think they can have Collins focus on Guard for all of training camp and then move him to RT is Free gets injured.

Green practiced at LG and OT in the OTA practices. I only saw Collins at OT.

It is possible that Green or Weems are ahead of Collins at RT. Green played RT in college while Collins always played on the left (LT and LG). If that is how is turns out, then having Collins focus on Guard would be the logical option.

 

[AsthmaField]

IMO, they have to prepare as if Free can't play. He had foot/ankle surgery in both Jan 2014 and Jan 2015. He missed a third of last season and he is now 31.

They can't treat the backup OT spot as a developmental position. That player has to be ready to play in game 1. Romo's healthy is the #1 issue for this team. They must find the best backup OT possible. If Collins if better than Green/Weems, then he should practice at RT in training camp. Obviously, the backup OT would practice at LT also, but Collins needs most of his reps to come at RT because he was always on the left in college.

As a rookie, I don't think they can have Collins focus on Guard for all of training camp and then move him to RT is Free gets injured.

Green practiced at LG and OT in the OTA practices. I only saw Collins at OT.

It is possible that Green or Weems are ahead of Collins at RT. Green played RT in college while Collins always played on the left (LT and LG). If that is how is turns out, then having Collins focus on Guard would be the logical option.

So, are you saying that because of his age, it is a given that Free gets injured this season? Or are you saying that you think Free isn't going to make a complete recovery?

I do agree that the swing tackle is an important position. However, I don't agree that Collins couldn't play RT after spending most of his time at LG. I have seen that switch, even by young guys, although I do agree with you that it isn't ideal.

If Free goes out for, say, 7 games, they could switch Collins to RT and put Leary back in at LG and let them practice there until Free returns. The first game where Free gets hurt might be challenging for Collins, or they might play Green there for the duration of that game, and then move Collins after that game and let him get a week's practice first.

I don't know that I'm right, but I could certainly see it happening that way, and it wouldn't be the first time a guard has moved to tackle mid-season.

I do know that you feel pretty strongly about what you're saying here and maybe you're right. I guess we will see in a couple of months.