Cowboys sign OT La'El Collins to 5 year extension

[Smitty]

[h=1]Cowboys, La'el Collins agree to five-year extension[/h]




The Dallas Cowboys got another contract done for a player not named Ezekiel Elliott, Dak Prescott or Amari Cooper.

The team agreed to terms on a five-year extension with offensive tackle La'el Collins, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported, per sources informed of the pact.

Similar to the Jaylon Smith deal, the Cowboys had a talented player land in their laps for non-playing reasons, and the team locked them down with a pay raise sooner than required.

Collins, who was projected to be a first-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, fell completely out of the draft after he was wanted for questioning in the murder of a former girlfriend in the days leading up to the selection process. Collins was ultimately ruled out as a suspect, but the situation cost him potentially millions of dollars by falling all the way out of the draft.

The Cowboys scooped up the LSU product on a three-year $1.5 million deal as an undrafted free agent. After two years and 14 starts, Dallas redid that deal, giving Collins a bump in pay, signing him to a new two-year, $15.4 million extension in 2017. The deal was set to expire after the 2019 season.

Dallas made sure their right tackle wouldn't be going anywhere for a while. The extension keeps Collins under contract in Dallas through the 2024 season.

Still just 26 years old, Collins continues to improve from early-career struggles, and is one of the rising young tackles in the NFL. The Cowboys will now pay him in line with his worth.

The deal keeps in place the core of the Cowboys talented, highly paid offensive line with left tackle Tyron Smith, center Travis Frederick and right guard Zack Martin are already among the top paid at their positions. Four of five players on one of the best offensive lines in the NFL -- and the best if all are healthy and playing at their peak -- is now locked down through at least the 2023 season.

Doing a deal now indicates it's a team-friendly pact given what Collins could have made if he hit the free-agent market after the season. Trent Brown, after all, got a massive deal in free agency from the Oakland Raiders this offseason and didn't have nearly the experience and game-film Collins owns.

The Collins and Smith deals underscore the belief in Dallas that they are looking to lock down players without paying prices at the very top of the markets. With deals for Zeke, Dak, and Cooper still yet to be done, we'll see if the Joneses can continue getting their players to take deals that are slightly less than the max.

 

[Smitty]

[h=1]Cowboys reportedly sign La'El Collins to long-term deal, its impact on Ezekiel Elliott talks[/h] [h=2]It's clear this team has mastered the art of multitasking going into the 2019 season[/h]
The Dallas Cowboys are doing their best to walk and chew gum at the same time.

The team started the offseason with the goal of securing as much of their homegrown talent as possible, and it began with making sure defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence would remain for the long term. With that deal in the books effective this past April, they turned their attention primarily to getting the same mission accomplished on quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver Amari Cooper, with the goal of firing up talks in 2020 with running back Ezekiel Elliott. Things didn't go as planned, however, because neither Prescott nor Cooper were willing to sign just yet. Elliott was though, and is still in a holdout pattern while the final details of his new contract are being hammered out.

While they work to nail down Elliott, they've reportedly signed right tackle La'El Collins -- per Mike Garafolo of NFL Media.

The sides are close, as Charles mentioned. Nothing yet on Dak, Zeke and Cooper but Dallas working on other guys in the meantime. https://twitter.com/charlesrobinson/status/1168844326123790336 …
Charles Robinson
@CharlesRobinson


The #Cowboys are close to completing a long-term contract extension with offensive tackle La’el Collins. It could be finalized as early as today. I expect it to be similar to the Jaylon Smith deal, with Collins and Dallas reaching a contract beneficial for both the player & team.






​

Mike Garafolo
@MikeGarafolo



Actually, it’s a done deal for the #Cowboys and T La’el Collins. Sources say the sides have agreed to a five-year extension. The former undrafted free agent (albeit because of non-football reasons) cashes in.


577
8:11 AM - Sep 3, 2019
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Like linebacker Jaylon Smith in July, this is proof the Cowboys are juggling more than one contract at one time. For Collins, who was currently set to hit the free agent market in 2020, it's a deal the team would obviously rather take care of now as opposed to seeing a higher price tag in a few months. Given the need and value of offensive tackles in the NFL, securing him now before other teams can make a run at him makes perfect sense.

This is especially true given the resources the Cowboys have put into moving Collins from guard to tackle.




A first-round talent that fell to the ranks of the undrafted in 2015 due to a police investigation in which he was never named a suspect or person of interest, Collins joined the Cowboys and eventually supplanted left guard Ronald Leary, although his base position at LSU was tackle. He would stave off Leary as starter until tearing a ligament in his big toe in October 2016, and that both ended his season and his play at left guard. When right tackle Doug Free decided to retire following that season, Collins was moved out to the right edge to become Free's successor and landed a two-year deal worth $15.4 million.

Things got off to a roaring start but have since died down noticeably, and for several reasons -- including, but not limited to -- the unwise hiring of offensive line coach Paul Alexander.

Alexander was fired after just seven games and Collins began to again find his swagger, but suffered a torn rotator cuff that while not costing him games, required surgery to repair this offseason. He's not missed any time in training camp and is 100 percent for the regular season opener. Keeping Collins in tow provides continuity across the Cowboys' offensive line, and whatever the numbers on the deal end up being, the fact remains they have roughly $26 million in space remaining for 2019. That's still enough to grant long-term deals on Elliott, Prescott and Cooper, with room to spare going into a 2020 fiscal year where the club is flush with cash.

Elliott's talks are nearing their conclusion, and an extension of Collins won't impact the money or tone of those talks. When asked after the first day of Week 1 practice if he was concerned about playing under a contract year, Collins made it clear he was not. One day later, it's obvious why that was his response. For Elliott, if anything, he's likely pleased to know his protection going forward will be familiar. On Monday, Collins called Elliott "family", and praised what he brings to the locker room and on gameday.

By all accounts, that family will remain intact for a long time.

 

[Smitty]

[h=1]Dallas Cowboys to extend La’el Collins, less pie for others?[/h] [h=2]The Dallas Cowboys continue to sign players to contract extensions beyond the top names fans have been eagerly anticipating. This time it’s La’el Collins.[/h]
The Dallas Cowboys are signing players to contract extensions. But they continue to do so with those not named Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper, or Ezekiel Elliott.

Both Prescott and Cooper are in the final year of their respective contracts, and currently with the team preparing to play the New York Giants on Sunday in Week One of the regular season. Elliott, on the other hand, has two years left on his rookie deal and is in the midst of a holdout that could result in him missing the regular-season opener and possibly even more games.

All three are considered pivotal pieces to the Cowboys’ future. And while negotiations with the big three loom, Dallas’ front office continues to secure extensions with others, eating up more of their salary cap or pie as owner and general manager Jerry Jones calls it.

Just two weeks ago, the Cowboys announced that they had agreed to a five-year, $64 million extension with fourth-year linebacker Jaylon Smith, securing his services through 2023. And on Tuesday, another name was granted an extension that isn’t Dak, Amari, or Zeke. It’s La’el!

Entering his fifth season with the Cowboys, starting right tackle La’el Collins was scheduled to be a free agent next year. And there was speculation that the team was preparing to move on from Collins and grooming 2018 second-rounder Connor Williams to take his place. That theory seemed to be verified when Dallas used their 2019 third-round selection on Penn State offensive lineman Connor McGovern, who would presumably replace Williams at left guard at some point.

But that speculation can now end as the Cowboys announced they have agreed to sign Collins to a five-year extension, keeping the 26-year old on the team through 2024. That means Dallas’ top offensive linemen in left tackle Tyron Smith, center Travis Frederick, and right guard Zack Martin along with Collins are all under contract through the 2023 season.

Although the financial details of Collins’ new deal have not yet been released, there are concerns about how this latest move will impact the pending extensions for Prescott, Elliott, and Cooper in Dallas.

Update: According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Collins’ deal is worth $50 million in new money, with the first two years fully guaranteed and $35 million in total guarantees.

According to OverTheCap.com, the Cowboys current salary cap space is an approximate $14.5 million. Yet, that number tells us nothing as how these contracts are structured is what really tells the tale. And without knowing those exact figures, it’s near impossible to know how much of the pie is really left.

But according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, Collins’ extension will actually open up salary cap space this year …



There is an overwhelming confidence that the Dallas Cowboys can manipulate the salary cap in order to sign anyone and everyone they want. Obviously, that would likely come at the expense of placing the team in a terrible financial situation in the future. As for Collins’ extension, it ensures the Cowboys’ offensive line will be able to keep their all-important chemistry intact for the foreseeable future. Although, one has to question what the team’s plans are now for high-draft picks Connor Williams and Connor McGovern.

 

[Smitty]

Seems like it's another "team discount" deal which is good. I am surprised they extended him with the OL talent they have ascending (McGovern and Connor Williams). But I bet this is also a message, not just to Zeke, but to Amari, Byron, and Dak.

"Look, this is two in a row. You want to be here? You need to take a team friendly deal like these guys are. It's not just Jaylon."

 

[boozeman]

I certainly did not expect this. That sure is a dominant amount of cap resources to one unit though.

 

[Smitty]

Numbers just came out.

5 years, $50 million, $35 million guaranteed.

But the AAV is only $10 a year though. Seems like we got a deal in the current market... if he remains the starter those 5 years.

 

[boozeman]

Numbers just came out.

5 years, $50 million, $35 million guaranteed.

But the AAV is only $10 a year though. Seems like we got a deal in the current market... if he remains the starter those 5 years.

The only other right tackles that will be paid more than him are Lane Johnson and Trent Brown.

 

[Couchcoach]

Wise move IMO. Keeps plenty of talent and depth along the O line. Personally I'd like to see us extend Maliek Collins as well. He's not an all-pro but he's solid and can make a difference. Especially with the D line depth we have now.

 

[bbgun]

Haven't been impressed with him since the move to tackle; thought he was much more dominant at guard. He doesn't face an elite speed rusher every week, but when he does, look out. Ryan Kerrigan made him his bitch a few years ago.

 

[p1_]

Numbers just came out.

5 years, $50 million, $35 million guaranteed.

But the AAV is only $10 a year though. Seems like we got a deal in the current market... if he remains the starter those 5 years.

That looks like a great deal

 

[Genghis Khan]

 

[Sheik]

I can’t see his name and not think about that chick who came after him because he didn’t pay her after she tossed his salad.

 

[Genghis Khan]

And here we all thought he was going to walk.

 

[Genghis Khan]

I'm ok with this I guess, but I'd hate deals like this to impact our future depth or ability to sign Byron Jones or Maliek Collins.

 

[mcnuttz]

I'm ok with this I guess, but I'd hate deals like this to impact our future depth or ability to sign Byron Jones or Maliek Collins.

I'm looking forward to Maliek's season, but even if Byron has another impressive year I hope they don't commit mega money to him.

There are too many playmakers in the secondary to shell out stupid funds for a guy who doesn't intercept passes.

 

[Genghis Khan]

I'm looking forward to Maliek's season, but even if Byron has another impressive year I hope they don't commit mega money to him.

There are too many playmakers in the secondary to shell out stupid funds for a guy who doesn't intercept passes.

In a vacuum there's a lot of logic to what you are saying. But in context, I'd rather pay Byron Jones than Lael Collins. Not only is Byron a better player, I think he's harder to replace.

 

[dbair1967]

Haven't been impressed with him since the move to tackle; thought he was much more dominant at guard. He doesn't face an elite speed rusher every week, but when he does, look out. Ryan Kerrigan made him his bitch a few years ago.

He was never dominant at G either. he had some dominant PLAYS which made people conjure up this Larry Allen esque comparison, but he always lacked consistency and has never been really good in pass protection at G or T. The offense was vastly better when Ron Leary replaced him at G.

I'm surprised they signed him to an extension so soon, would have thought they'd at least get some or most of this season behind them to see if he had really taken the next step.

 

[dbair1967]

In a vacuum there's a lot of logic to what you are saying. But in context, I'd rather pay Byron Jones than Lael Collins. Not only is Byron a better player, I think he's harder to replace.

Honestly I wouldn't have signed either of them. I need to see Byron Jones make more plays than he has so far, so I don't agree he is harder to replace.

 

[p1_]

For their forseeable careers.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Honestly I wouldn't have signed either of them. I need to see Byron Jones make more plays than he has so far, so I don't agree he is harder to replace.

I'm guessing Byron is going to get more than 10 mil a season too.