The Dallas Cowboys will be without one of their top offensive linemen for an extended period of time. On Friday, it was announced that offensive tackle La’el Collins has received a five-game suspension from the NFL.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport is reporting that Collins’ suspension stems from him missing drug tests.
Collins is an extremely talented offensive tackle, but he has not been able to stay on the field for the past few seasons. In 2020, he missed the entire season because of a hip injury. Now, he has to miss a significant period of time because of a suspension.
The timing of this suspension is tough for Dallas. Despite losing to Tampa Bay on Thursday night, America’s Team had several reasons to be optimistic about its roster.
With Collins out for five games, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy will need to make some important changes to his lineup.
A day after a fantastic game…. Some awful news for the ✭
•La’el Collins has been suspended 5 games for violating the NFL’s policy and program on substances of abuse
•Michael Gallup out 3-5 weeks with a calf strain.
— DC (@DylansRawTake) September 10, 2021
Of course, this has to be a frustrating situation for Collins. He just returned from a neck injury and was hoping to make a huge impact for the Cowboys this fall.
There are some NFL analysts out there who feel bad for Collins’ recent string of bad luck.
“The amount of money that La’el Collins has lost throughout his career for reasons that either weren’t his fault or just plain nonsensical really makes me sad,” NFL analyst Brett Kollmann said. “The guy really has gotten the worst end of the stick and he’s such a damn good football player.”
The amount of money that La’El Collins has lost throughout his career for reasons that either weren’t his fault or just plain nonsensical really makes me sad.
The guy really has gotten the worst end of the stick and he’s such a damn good football player.
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) September 10, 2021
Some analysts are wondering if we’ll get to see the Cowboys’ offensive line at full strength this season. Zack Martin missed the season opener, Tyron Smith has a history of missing time, and Collins is now on the shelf for the next five weeks.
“Tyron Smith, Zack Martin and La’el Collins are just never gonna play together again, huh,” Marcus Mosher of Locked On Cowboys tweeted.
Tyron Smith, Zack Martin and La’el Collins are just never gonna play together again, huh?
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) September 10, 2021
The Cowboys will most likely play either Ty Nsekhe or Terence Steele at right tackle during Collins’ absence.
Dallas has a little over a week to decide who will replace Collins for its Week 2 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers.
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