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Stephen Jones: La'el Collins is an option at right tackle, but our preference is to keep him at guard
By Jon Machota , Staff Writer
Despite losing several starters during free agency, the Cowboys say they are feeling good about their current roster heading into next week's NFL Draft.
Defenders Barry Church, Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne, Terrell McClain and J.J. Wilcox are gone. The offense has lost Tony Romo, Doug Free and Ron Leary.
Dallas has attempted to fill those holes by adding veterans like safety Robert Blanton, cornerback Nolan Carroll, defensive tackle Stephen Paea and defensive end Damontre Moore.
But further upgrades will need to come from their seven draft picks.
"We feel really good about who we have on our team in terms of being able to play this season," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Friday on 105.3 The Fan's G-Bag Nation show [KRLD-FM]. "But we look at this as a great opportunity to upgrade and to improve all areas of our football team."
The Cowboys, who have used three of their last six first-round picks on offensive linemen, aren't expected to select an offensive lineman at pick No. 28.
La'el Collins is projected to step into Leary's starting spot at left guard. Chaz Green is the front-runner to take Free's vacated spot at right tackle. Green has struggled to stay healthy during his career, so the Cowboys signed veteran offensive lineman Byron Bell for some insurance at the position.
If neither is able to hold down the job, Jones mentioned Collins as a possibility at tackle, a position he played in college.
"I'll be real clear here, our first preference and still is is to have him play guard," Jones said. "But we also know that if there's a guy on our team who might have that flexibility to move out to tackle then he certainly has that skillset."
By Jon Machota , Staff Writer
Despite losing several starters during free agency, the Cowboys say they are feeling good about their current roster heading into next week's NFL Draft.
Defenders Barry Church, Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne, Terrell McClain and J.J. Wilcox are gone. The offense has lost Tony Romo, Doug Free and Ron Leary.
Dallas has attempted to fill those holes by adding veterans like safety Robert Blanton, cornerback Nolan Carroll, defensive tackle Stephen Paea and defensive end Damontre Moore.
But further upgrades will need to come from their seven draft picks.
"We feel really good about who we have on our team in terms of being able to play this season," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Friday on 105.3 The Fan's G-Bag Nation show [KRLD-FM]. "But we look at this as a great opportunity to upgrade and to improve all areas of our football team."
The Cowboys, who have used three of their last six first-round picks on offensive linemen, aren't expected to select an offensive lineman at pick No. 28.
La'el Collins is projected to step into Leary's starting spot at left guard. Chaz Green is the front-runner to take Free's vacated spot at right tackle. Green has struggled to stay healthy during his career, so the Cowboys signed veteran offensive lineman Byron Bell for some insurance at the position.
If neither is able to hold down the job, Jones mentioned Collins as a possibility at tackle, a position he played in college.
"I'll be real clear here, our first preference and still is is to have him play guard," Jones said. "But we also know that if there's a guy on our team who might have that flexibility to move out to tackle then he certainly has that skillset."