Ron Leary Not Afraid Of Competition Entering Third Year At Left Guard

Jiggyfly

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Ron Leary Not Afraid Of Competition Entering Third Year At Left Guard
Tuesday, June 09, 2015 12:59 PM CDT

By David Helman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
@HelmanDC



IRVING, Texas – It’s been roughly a month since La’el Collins arrived at Valley Ranch – and subsequently, it’s been about a month since people began trying to give Ron Leary’s job away.
The logic is sound. The Cowboys famously boast first-round picks at three of the five spots on the offensive line, and they just gave starting right tackle Doug Free a three-year, $15 million contract.

Thinking critically, that leaves one starting position up for grabs – the left guard spot that’s been occupied by Ron Leary since 2013. The third-year veteran isn’t likely to do a lot of talking about the competition for his job, as he plans to let his play speak for him.
“I think you turn on the film – you turn on the film from last year, you know I can play,” Leary said. “I’m just in it to prove to myself that I can be the best Ron Leary that I can be, and all the chips will fall in place.”


The prospect of a position battle shouldn’t be anything new for Leary, who joined the Cowboys in 2012 as a priority undrafted free agent out of Memphis. In that span of time, he’s risen from roster cut, to practice squad player, to backup, to starter.

Whether it’s a challenge from La’el Collins or someone else, Leary said it’s not a new concept to fight for his job.

“I think it just comes with the game. They’re always bringing in guys to take your job, and being an undrafted guy, you know that you’ve got to prove it every year,” he said. “He was a highly-ranked guy, just like Tyron and all of them, so you know all the hype is going to be around him, but I mean, I’m still here.”

Mentioning Tyron Smith raises some solid points in Leary’s favor – not just his experience, but his chemistry with the existing line. He has worked alongside Travis Frederick and Zack Martin for the duration of their NFL careers, and he has started next to Smith for two seasons.
“I think now that I’ve been here for this long, I know the system. Now it’s just trying to fine tune little techniques and learn little ways to win blocks – things like that,” he said.

The Cowboys ran the ball to Smith and Leary’s side of the line 139 times last season, averaging almost five yards per carry in the process. That type of production is attention-grabbing, even if the blockers providing it aren’t.
“Me and T, we communicate real good, over the last two or three years of being with each other. We’ve got that down,” Leary said. “Now it’s just like little techniques, different things and trying to do things better – keep trying to do things better.”


In the results-based world of the NFL, none of that is going to help Leary keep his job. The Cowboys’ coaching staff has already repeated ad nauseam that they’ll field the best possible unit.
“We’re going to play our five best offensive linemen. And we’re going to figure out who those guys are,” said Cowboys coach Jason Garrett on the day Collins signed with the team.
The main moral might be: don’t be so quick to assume Ron Leary isn’t one of those five
 

Rev

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Love the attitude but sometimes you just aren't good enough.


~sits back~
 

Newt

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Its nice to finally have solid talent along the entire O-line, I do wonder though if Free is really set in that tackle spot? Martin could easily play tackle, which would open up the right guard spot for Collins. That would also make for a very good, very young offensive line.
 

Clay_Allison

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Its nice to finally have solid talent along the entire O-line, I do wonder though if Free is really set in that tackle spot? Martin could easily play tackle, which would open up the right guard spot for Collins. That would also make for a very good, very young offensive line.
I think Collins is more likely to play RT than Martin.
 

ravidubey

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Leary isn't going to just go away. It would be hard for any rookie, no matter what his pedigree, to supplant a veteran who is young, healthy, and playing well.
 

Newt

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I think Collins is more likely to play RT than Martin.
I could see that too, there was a lot of talk last year about about Martin being able to play tackle. I would prefer him to stay right where he is, he can be a dominant guard. But I would like to see the best 5 lineman and if leary and collins are both in that group I think we are better off in the long run.
 

Plan9Misfit

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I could see that too, there was a lot of talk last year about about Martin being able to play tackle. I would prefer him to stay right where he is, he can be a dominant guard. But I would like to see the best 5 lineman and if leary and collins are both in that group I think we are better off in the long run.
Being able to play tackle is one thing, but that doesn't mean that he should be playing tackle. Collins is likely the future at RT.
 

Newt

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Being able to play tackle is one thing, but that doesn't mean that he should be playing tackle. Collins is likely the future at RT.
To me that would be ideal, Collins playing RT and leaving Leary and Martin at the guard spots. I know we just gave Free a new contract and we haven't really had to pay Leary yet but I would rather see Collin beat Doug Free out of a job than Leary. We would end up with an expensive swing tackle, I would be ok with that.
 

mcnuttz

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To me that would be ideal, Collins playing RT and leaving Leary and Martin at the guard spots. I know we just gave Free a new contract and we haven't really had to pay Leary yet but I would rather see Collin beat Doug Free out of a job than Leary. We would end up with an expensive swing tackle, I would be ok with that.
If Collins takes over RT, it's time for Free to join the band and GTFO.
 

Cowboysrock55

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If Collins takes over RT, it's time for Free to join the band and GTFO.
I'd think Free actually could have some trade value on the open market. I mean why the hell wouldn't the Bronco's for example want him badly to play LT.
 

mcnuttz

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I'd think Free actually could have some trade value on the open market. I mean why the hell wouldn't the Bronco's for example want him badly to play LT.
This is new territory for Dallas, but that would be great.

Not sure how the new contract would impact it, but wasn't a huge contract anyway.

Getting a draft pick for a player? :towel
 

Plan9Misfit

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I'd think Free actually could have some trade value on the open market. I mean why the hell wouldn't the Bronco's for example want him badly to play LT.
I'm sure the Broncos and the 49ers would be in the market for an OT. However, we shouldn't openly offer him up because that reduces his trade value. We should wait and see if they approach us and then ask for a king's ransom to see how desperate they are. If they pay it, great. If not, no harm, no foul.
 

Landry

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I'm sure the Broncos and the 49ers would be in the market for an OT. However, we shouldn't openly offer him up because that reduces his trade value. We should wait and see if they approach us and then ask for a king's ransom to see how desperate they are. If they pay it, great. If not, no harm, no foul.
How about we wait to see if everyone makes it through training camp first? One injury and we could have problems.
 

Clay_Allison

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If Collins takes over RT, it's time for Free to join the band and GTFO.
I'd keep him for a year, I don't want a rookie 3rd rounder getting Romo killed because one of the other OTs sprains an ankle and misses a game. Unless someone like SF gets desperate and wants to trade us a pick for him, he can be a slightly expensive backup if he loses his starting gig.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Yeah, you wonder what a team might give up to get an emergency starting tackle if they fear their second option might go full on Rob Pettiti on them.
Well and that's why I mentioned the Bronco's. The clock is really ticking on that aging team. If they don't win it this year that could be their last shot.
 
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