News: With Martin done, Collins sole long term question on Cowboys OL

[LocimusPrime]

https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/20...ck-zack-martin/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Enjoy the discussion

 

[LocimusPrime]

With Zack Martin finally locked up as the highest-paid guard in the NFL with a $93 million contract, the Cowboys can rest easy that their three first-round picks on the offensive line are now all locked up until at least 2023. Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick signed extensions in 2014 and 2016 respectively and Zack Martin is around until at least 2024 with his new deal.

Newcomer Connor Williams has a deal that can keep him here until at least 2021 so the Cowboys have secured the future of the most important position group.T he one player who doesn’t have a long-term future at the moment is the right tackle, La’el Collins.

Collins’ uncertain future with the Cowboys has nothing to do with his character or his performance.

While Collins’ service is guaranteed for the next two years, the Cowboys will find themselves having to make a tough decision very soon.

They already have close to $300 million invested in their offensive line and after 2018, players such as Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott will be eligible for a new contract.

There is only so much money that can go around in the salary cap era and Collins may be the odd man out of the group when it comes for his first real pay day?

Collins battled through injury and played every game at right tackle in 2017 and looks to have that spot locked up again heading into 2018.

Leading into the draft, Dallas floated the Best 5 concept which could’ve resulted in a move back to left guard where he played his first two years. The selection of Williams to play guard secured Collins home on the right edge, leaving off-season free-agent signing Cam Fleming as the swing tackle.

If Collins can string together another strong season, Pro Bowls and All Pro honors could be in Collins’ future; he does play on the most recognizable offensive line in the NFL after all.



For the lazies, who I know won’t click the button, I have copied the article for you

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Said in many threads, they will not sign Collins to a long-term deal. We simply can't afford FOUR OLmen on large 2nd contracts. Let Collins walk after 2019 and draft his potential replacement.

 

[PAPPYDOG]

With Zack Martin finally locked up as the highest-paid guard in the NFL with a $93 million contract, the Cowboys can rest easy that their three first-round picks on the offensive line are now all locked up until at least 2023. Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick signed extensions in 2014 and 2016 respectively and Zack Martin is around until at least 2024 with his new deal.

Newcomer Connor Williams has a deal that can keep him here until at least 2021 so the Cowboys have secured the future of the most important position group.T he one player who doesn’t have a long-term future at the moment is the right tackle, La’el Collins.

Collins’ uncertain future with the Cowboys has nothing to do with his character or his performance.

Collins has always been a unique case ever since he arrived in the NFL in 2015.

A sure-fire first-round pick coming out of LSU, Collins found himself in the middle of a police investigation in the days leading up to the draft. A former girlfriend was found shot dead in her apartment and on the eve of the draft, Collins had to fly home to meet with the police.

Of course, this made him nearly undraftable because of the ongoing police investigation and Collins’ career looked to be over before it began.

Collins, who professed innocence all along, was never named as a suspect and was cleared during the draft, but it was too late. The first few rounds had already concluded, and Collins had lost out on millions.

He and his agent made a gamble to let teams know he wanted to make it to UDFA status. And it worked.

This strange turn of events landed Collins in the unlikely locale of Dallas. A team that already had three first-round picks got a pseudo fourth first-round pick when Collins signed has an undrafted free agent.

After two years, the minimum years of service for an undrafted free agent, the Cowboys made good on their promise to take care of Collins and made up for all the money he lost in the draft process; he signed a three-year deal leading up to the 2017 season worth close to $12 million, similar to what he would’ve received had he been drafted in the first round like he should’ve been.

While Collins’ service is guaranteed for the next two years, the Cowboys will find themselves having to make a tough decision very soon.

They already have close to $300 million invested in their offensive line and after 2018, players such as Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott will be eligible for a new contract.

There is only so much money that can go around in the salary cap era and Collins may be the odd man out of the group when it comes for his first real pay day?

Collins battled through injury and played every game at right tackle in 2017 and looks to have that spot locked up again heading into 2018.


Leading into the draft, Dallas floated the Best 5 concept which could’ve resulted in a move back to left guard where he played his first two years. The selection of Williams to play guard secured Collins home on the right edge, leaving off-season free-agent signing Cam Fleming as the swing tackle.

If Collins can string together another strong season, Pro Bowls and All Pro honors could be in Collins’ future; he does play on the most recognizable offensive line in the NFL after all.



For the lazies, who I know won’t click the button, I have copied the article for you

They already have close to $300 million invested in their offensive line and after 2018, players such as Dak Prescott and Ezekiel
Elliott will be eligible for a new contract.

Most other teams coach there offlines to good or great we down in Big D take the easy route and draft them HIGH with massive Contracts.....why should the coaches earn there paychecks really now.......!!!!!

 

[LocimusPrime]

I feel ya pappy. I challenge you to say one positive, nice, or optimistic thing about the cowboys today. Just one.

All kidding aside, it is a dilemma about the Oline. Ok now back to that happy, nice, or positive post. Just one.

 

[phildadon86]

I feel ya pappy. I challenge you to say one positive, nice, or optimistic thing about the cowboys today. Just one.

All kidding aside, it is a dilemma about the Oline. Ok now back to that happy, nice, or positive post. Just one.

Not really a dilemma. This is where Jerry can leverage that we took a chance on him and its time to return the favour

 

[PAPPYDOG]

I feel ya pappy. I challenge you to say one positive, nice, or optimistic thing about the cowboys today. Just one.

All kidding aside, it is a dilemma about the Oline. Ok now back to that happy, nice, or positive post. Just one.

Zeke...Lee...D-Law...Awezie....Offline...Hurns....Beasley...Twill....Heath(special teams only)

On the fence.....Our Rooks....

Waiting for them to pop up and say Hello.....Jaylon Collin Trapper Taco Woods Gregory

Not sold on...Dak...Dak...Dak...Dak....

Did Pappy make you Happy? lol

 

[northerncowboynation]

we got a couple more years yet @LocimusPrime . I still think La'ell is better suited for LG and with his frame, Williams better suited for RT but what do I know. What i know is, I don't want any more tinkering with the O-line for at least one year.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Said in many threads, they will not sign Collins to a long-term deal. We simply can't afford FOUR OLmen on large 2nd contracts. Let Collins walk after 2019 and draft his potential replacement.

If they want to they can. Now whether its wise to do so is a whole different story.

I think people get too caught up in paying our guys. As of right now....Demarcus Lawrence is the only guy on this roster who has earned a pay day and that may change if he sucks this year. Guys like Zeke, Dak.....they still have yet to earn a big pay day.

 

[CT Dal Fan]

Said in many threads, they will not sign Collins to a long-term deal. We simply can't afford FOUR OLmen on large 2nd contracts. Let Collins walk after 2019 and draft his potential replacement.

Or they could just get a guard anywhere and move Connor Williams to right tackle. That might be the plan anyway.

 

[thisiscowboyscountry]

Not that worried we have two more seasons under contract. I would hope we would have an alternative plan by then. Its likely we add some tackles amd guards the next couple drafts that perhaps can take over for Collins if needed. For now resigning him is the least of our concerns.

 

[DasSchnitzel]

I don't foresee the cap issues everyone is concerned about. Including Martin's new deal, OverTheCap has us at 50M in cap space next year. We could double each of Smith, Frederick, and Martin's 2019 cap hits and still have 10M in space for next season.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

We have Collins for this 2 more years. While that is not a 10 year contract like Smith signed that is still the foreseeable future when it comes to NFL rosters.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I don't foresee the cap issues everyone is concerned about. Including Martin's new deal, OverTheCap has us at 50M in cap space next year. We could double each of Smith, Frederick, and Martin's 2019 cap hits and still have 10M in space for next season.

When people worry about stuff they click links and buy newspapers. It is something to worry people about so the mediots rehash it every year usually with little more than fearmongering.

The reality is that we have not been in cap "trouble" even when handed that cap penalty which lost us 10% of the cap back then. Our issues have been with self scouting and overvaluing other team's players never cap management.

 

[blueblood70]

we cant keep them all at LTC that break the bank..im sure somebody will have to replaced down the road..no way you can afford to max out all 5 with Zeke and Dak coming up etc ..it cant all go to one unit..

 

[Cowpolk]

Zeke...Lee...D-Law...Awezie....Offline...Hurns....Beasley...Twill....Heath(special teams only)

On the fence.....Our Rooks....

Waiting for them to pop up and say Hello.....Jaylon Collin Trapper Taco Woods Gregory

Not sold on...Dak...Dak...Dak...Dak....

Did Pappy make you Happy? lol

No you should have said Dak one more time

 

[Knotamus]

Personally I’m happy with our line situation and will worry ab the coming contracts when they’re due. Atleast for now, we’ve locked up are All-pros, have perceivably a top notch OL to play in at LG, and another 1st Rd talent at RT. There’s really nothing to be negative ab.. most teams would kill to be in this position. When Collins contract is up, Draft another guy.. as I doubt he’ll take less. Besides, who knows what happens with guys like Tryon’s back ailments.. Slide Collins or Conner to LT if need be, as they both played LT in college very well. It’s a great situation and I applaud the front office. We are a run first team, so this line being great is paramount.

As far as Dak and Zeke.. again who knows?! Wait till there contracts are up to figure that out.. This year Dak will prove whether his our future, Zeke can be franchised if need be.. then will you shell out a big contract to an aging back or go draft another? What ab Jaylon? If he proves to be the generational talent as he was herald, do we pay him?.. we can continue on with this guessing game or just let it play out.. for now, I’m going to enjoy watching OL free up Zeke (and Tavon) this year.

 

[DasSchnitzel]

When people worry about stuff they click links and buy newspapers. It is something to worry people about so the mediots rehash it every year usually with little more than fearmongering.

The reality is that we have not been in cap "trouble" even when handed that cap penalty which lost us 10% of the cap back then. Our issues have been with self scouting and overvaluing other team's players never cap management.

I disagree. I don't really watch sports media, I just look at the numbers. For what I understand of the cap I've seen the trouble and I've seen it in our talent acquisition. There's a reason this team only had an offense and eventually became nearly nothing but scrubs on defense by 2013. There's a reason that our cap has slowly improved since then and we've maintained our offensive power while gaining on defense.

Sure, we could have kicked the can down the road leading up to 2013 and since then on some of these big contracts. But they played it right, were patient, and weathered the storm. Now our cap space is exploding and this is why. The space making moves that were realistically possible were the same kinds of things that got them in that situation.

I can't speak for much prior to the current decade because I wasn't interested in the cap 9 years ago and haven't looked up historical data but if you disagree with the above summary then I'd like to hear why because you may know things I don't, I'm no expert.

That's off topic though so just message me.

 

[beware_d-ware]

I doubt we pay Collins. To date, he hasn't played like a guy who deserves a big extension (the contract we gave him was to make him whole on his deserved 1st round contract), and we just can't support 4 big offensive line contracts plus a Dak mega-deal.

Don't be surprised if we draft a tackle high next offseason to replace either him or Tyron.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I disagree. I don't really watch sports media, I just look at the numbers. For what I understand of the cap I've seen the trouble and I've seen it in our talent acquisition. There's a reason this team only had an offense and eventually became nearly nothing but scrubs on defense by 2013. There's a reason that our cap has slowly improved since then and we've maintained our offensive power while gaining on defense.

Sure, we could have kicked the can down the road leading up to 2013 and since then on some of these big contracts. But they played it right, were patient, and weathered the storm. Now our cap space is exploding and this is why. The space making moves that were realistically possible were the same kinds of things that got them in that situation.

I can't speak for much prior to the current decade because I wasn't interested in the cap 9 years ago and haven't looked up historical data but if you disagree with the above summary then I'd like to hear why because you may know things I don't, I'm no expert.

That's off topic though so just message me.

What trouble and how did it manifest?

And "kicking the can down the road" is great business in the NFL. The cap expands so those dollars buy less ie are worth less in future years and more in the present. There is no interest.

Handwaving at the Cowboys restructures is a big part of the fearmongering.

The issue was not paying money to a corner; the issue was with not scouting out someone better than Carr. It was the same with Hamlin, Barber, RW11 and others.

We stopped paying age and we stopped spending in VFA and instead focused on drafting and player development. We still hand out big contracts and restructure them procedurally.

The last time we were in cap hell as people like to moniker it was when Troy, Michael, Emmitt, and Deion were signed to big contracts and then Troy and Michael were forced to retire back to back.

Eating those prorations forced them to cut a lot of players. That has never happened since. They were not forced to move on from Ware because of the cap either.