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es4m11
Well-Known Member
The Oline has struggled this year. As a group they haven't been bad, more like average, but certainly not up to the standards that group had established in previous years. The obvious answer to what's troubling the Cowboys along the OLine is Travis Frederick's absence. Is that the only problem though?
It's no secret that Connor Williams has struggled at times this year allowing a lot of pressure up the gut, especially against bigger and stronger DTs. But possibly an even bigger issue than that has been the play of La'el Collins - he has been below average, IMO. Several times a game the protection from the right side just collapses, disrupting the QB, blowing up runs in the backfield, or causing holding penalties and/or illegal hands to the face. L.Collins has been as guilty as anyone for the substandard play of the Oline so far. Is the answer to the problems with Williams and Collins to swap positions? I don't know, but I would like to see it tried next year... or hell even this year if the Cowboys fall completely out of it.
Is Collins worth keeping around after his contract expires? Or even beyond this year? His contract runs out after 2019, he has a $7.4m cap hit next year and a relatively small dead money hit on his contract of $1.4m if cut next year. I'm definitely leaning towards thinking the Cowboys should not re-sign Collins when the time comes. Hell, for the $6m that could be freed up by cutting him, I would possibly look into replacing him after this season, depending on who might be available -- it wouldn't take a Pro-Bowler to upgrade that position.
It's no secret that Connor Williams has struggled at times this year allowing a lot of pressure up the gut, especially against bigger and stronger DTs. But possibly an even bigger issue than that has been the play of La'el Collins - he has been below average, IMO. Several times a game the protection from the right side just collapses, disrupting the QB, blowing up runs in the backfield, or causing holding penalties and/or illegal hands to the face. L.Collins has been as guilty as anyone for the substandard play of the Oline so far. Is the answer to the problems with Williams and Collins to swap positions? I don't know, but I would like to see it tried next year... or hell even this year if the Cowboys fall completely out of it.
Is Collins worth keeping around after his contract expires? Or even beyond this year? His contract runs out after 2019, he has a $7.4m cap hit next year and a relatively small dead money hit on his contract of $1.4m if cut next year. I'm definitely leaning towards thinking the Cowboys should not re-sign Collins when the time comes. Hell, for the $6m that could be freed up by cutting him, I would possibly look into replacing him after this season, depending on who might be available -- it wouldn't take a Pro-Bowler to upgrade that position.