Cowboys reportedly give OT La'el Collins permission to seek trade
Offensive tackle La'el Collins has been given permission by the Dallas Cowboys to seek a trade, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Dallas has given permission to starting RT La'el Collins to seek a trade, according to his new agent Peter Schaffer. Dallas needs cap room and Collins was scheduled to make $15.25 million this season. Likely to be released if no trade.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2022
This news comes several days after a report that the Cowboys were actively trying to trade Collins. If they've given Collins' agents permission to seek a trade, that could be an indicator that the Cowboys' trade conversations haven't been particularly fruitful.
Injury, suspension cost Collins
Collins, 28, has been a starter for the Cowboys since he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2015. Though an injured toe slowed him down in 2016, he was moved to right tackle in 2017 and flourished. From 2017 through the 2019 season, he started 47 of 48 games. Collins signed a five-year, $50 million contract extension with the Cowboys before the 2019 season, which ended up being his best season in the NFL to date.
That's when things started to go downhill somewhat. Collins went into 2020 training camp with an injured hip, and was placed on IR to start the season. That hip didn't get better and Collins ended up having surgery that cost him the entire 2020 season. Then in September 2021, Collins was suspended five games for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy. Collins had reportedly missed seven drug tests and was accused of trying to bribe one of the NFL's test collectors. A lawsuit he filed against the NFL failed, and he served his suspension from Week 2 through Week 6.
Right tackle Terence Steele stepped up in 2020 and 2021 while Collins missed 21 out of 33 games. And even when Collins came back, the Cowboys continued to start Steele as much as they could. According to ESPN's Todd Archer, the Cowboys believe Steele is "their right tackle of the present and future."
Collins is scheduled to make $10 million in 2022, with a cap hit of $15.25 million. As Schefter reported, the Cowboys plan to release him if they can't find a trade partner. With Steele waiting in the wings, they may have decided Collins isn't worth the pricey cap hit.
