Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman La’el Collins made the switch from left guard to right tackle last season and he did a decent job at it. However, the Cowboys appear to be strongly considering moving him back inside next season, especially after signing tackle Cameron Fleming this offseason. If Collins had his way, though, he’d prefer to stay at right tackle next season.
“I like playing tackle, so hey, I think that’s where we’ll be,” Collins said per Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams.
But Collins also added that despite his preference, he’s going to do whatever he needs to do to help the team.
“Man, at the end of the day, I’m here to help the football team,” Collins said. “I think we’re in the right direction. I think we’ll be where we need to be.”
Collins started 11 games at left guard during his rookie year. But after Doug Free retired and Ronald Leary left in free agency, he needed to fill in at right tackle last year. This year, though, the Cowboys now have a hole at left guard with Jonathan Cooper leaving in free agency.
There’s still a chance Collins keeps his favored spot at right tackle. It’ll depend largely on the performance of the newcomers, Fleming and guard Marcus Martin. Collins will need Fleming to look far from convincing at right tackle and/or Martin to exceed expectations at guard.
But wherever Collins finds himself playing on the Dallas O-line, he seems to be adopting the right mindset by putting the needs of the team first. That's certainly promising for the Cowboys, who may need to count on Collins' valuable versatility at some point next season.
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