The inside story of how La'el Collins became a Dallas Cowboy

[Genghis Khan]

Free wasn't there I don't think, but at least he's injured and rehabbing. Leary is just the odd man out.

We really need to trade Leary.

 

[NoDak]

Free wasn't there either, right?

No, he wasn't.

 

[p1_]

I would daresay Robert Klemcko doesn't know his ass from Ron Leary.

 

[ravidubey]

Collins riding the bench behind Leary.

People thought Tony Mandarich was something special too. Just Saying.

 

[boozeman]

People thought Tony Mandarich was something special too. Just Saying.

I don't see a white testosteroid monster when I look at Collins.

I see one little pissed off kid who is going to unleash havoc.

 

[NoDak]

A little pissed off kid?

What's he going to do, give the Dlineman in front of him a wet willy? Kick his shin? Call him a poopy head?

 

[boozeman]

A little pissed off kid?

What's he going to do, give the Dlineman in front of him a wet willy? Kick his shin? Call him a poopy head?

C'mon, No Dick.

It is one thing to be the contrary, which honestly, you are the Grand Champeen at, to resorting to nit picking like this.

And yes, I see Collins as a little pissed off kid.

Hell, his damn mother was at his press conference.

 

[NoDak]

C'mon, No Dick.

It is one thing to be the contrary, which honestly, you are the Grand Champeen at, to resorting to nit picking like this.

And yes, I see Collins as a little pissed off kid.

Hell, his damn mother was at his press conference.

A large angry man I could see. But...

A little pissed off kid.

 

[Cotton]

Collins riding the bench behind Leary.

Enter, JiggyFly.

 

[ravidubey]

Zach Martin's ridiculous ability to grasp the offense, changes in protection, and dominate as a rookie was extremely rare. He was also a 1st round pick competing with a very average free agent in Bernadeau.

Expecting the same grasp from Collins, a UDFA in which the team has little invested, to a degree that he clearly passes a starter in Leary who's still doing his job well probably doesn't make sense.

We might actually have to trade Leary as others have suggested to justify starting Collins.

Auto-starting the kid "just because" runs contrary to Garrett's message of competition and tells you Jerry is back to being Jerry.

 

[NoDak]

Expecting the same grasp from Collins, a UDFA in which the team has little invested, to a degree that he clearly passes a starter in Leary who's still doing his job well probably doesn't make sense.

This is straight up retarded. If you truly believe this, then I'd be willing to bet you are the only person in the entire world that thinks of La'el Collins as a UDFA.

 

[ravidubey]

This is straight up retarded. If you truly believe this, then I'd be willing to bet you are the only person in the entire world that thinks of La'el Collins as a UDFA.

You missed the point. The team did not spend a 1st round pick on him and is thus not compelled to put him in the lineup.

Also, Leary was damned good at times last year and easily the most underrated player on the OL.

If Leary plays better, which he probably will and especially early on, how can you justify putting in Collins?

 

[Cotton]

You missed the point. The team did not spend a 1st round pick on him and is thus not compelled to put him in the lineup.

Also, Leary was damned good at times last year and easily the most underrated player on the OL.

If Leary plays better, which he probably will and especially early on, how can you justify putting in Collins?

C'mon, ravid. You're smarter than this.

 

[NoDak]

You missed the point. The team did not spend a 1st round pick on him and is thus not compelled to put him in the lineup.

No, I stand by what I said. You didn't mention anything about the stigma of being a first round pick, and being pushed into a starting role because of it. What you said was not expecting Collins to have the same "grasp" as Martin because he was a UDFA.

 

[ravidubey]

No, I stand by what I said. You didn't mention anything about the stigma of being a first round pick, and being pushed into a starting role because of it. What you said was not expecting Collins to have the same "grasp" as Martin because he was a UDFA.

NoDak, I ,must say you love to argue. I said Martin was a 1st round pick competing with an average dude-- two strikes in his favor at getting a chance to start. I also said Martin's ability to grasp the offense as a rookie was unreal by any standard.

Those three things don't exist for Collins (yet).

1) The team has literally nothing invested in Collins. It invested a 1st round pick and contract in Martin.

2) Leary is a good player and at times very good. Bernadeau was average and at times stunk badly.

3) Collins doesn't know the offense, and we can't expect him to grasp it the same way Martin did. What Martin did was unusual, even for a 1st round pick.

C'mon, ravid. You're smarter than this.

So you're saying Collins starts, "just because", no matter how much better Leary plays? That's the Jerry way, my friend.

All I'm saying is don't be surprised if Collins doesn't crack the starting lineup right away. You guys are acting like it's a done deal.

This was the best OL in football last season hands down because it had six good players.

 

[NoDak]

NoDak, I ,must say you love to argue. I said Martin was a 1st round pick competing with an average dude-- two strikes in his favor at getting a chance to start. I also said Martin's ability to grasp the offense as a rookie was unreal by any standard.

Those three things don't exist for Collins (yet).

1) The team has literally nothing invested in Collins. It invested a 1st round pick and contract in Martin.

2) Leary is a good player and at times very good. Bernadeau was average and at times stunk badly.

3) Collins doesn't know the offense, and we can't expect him to grasp it the same way Martin did. What Martin did was unusual, even for a 1st round pick.

I'm not saying anything about Martin. His and Collins' situation are two different things. I'm only taking issue with your assertion Collins wouldn't/couldn't "grasp" anything because of his being a UDFA. Nothing more.

If there was no murder situation before the draft and he was actually drafted, say at #9 by the Giants, would that help his ability to "grasp" things? In your explanation above, I noticed that this time you left out the part of him being a UDFA like you had in your original statement.

 

[Cotton]

So you're saying Collins starts, "just because", no matter how much better Leary plays? That's the Jerry way, my friend.

No, I'm saying the idea that Leary will beat him out is almost laughable to me. Maybe he does, but it's highly unlikely. And, the idea that he went undrafted being a part of their decision whether he starts or not is absolutely laughable.

 

[ravidubey]

No, I'm saying the idea that Leary will beat him out is almost laughable to me. Maybe he does, but it's highly unlikely.

Leary knows the offense and also played very well. His knees show no signs of wearing down. Collins is a great-looking prospect, but so was Aaron Gibson when he was drafted.

And, the idea that he went undrafted being a part of their decision whether he starts or not is absolutely laughable.

No, no. Being a 1st round pick factors strongly into starting, competition or no. Teams are forced to back their high draft picks, even when they haven't clearly won a competition. that's just reality.

No matter what we think of him, Leary wasn't a 1st round pick and thus doesn't have that extra compulsion from the team to start him.

He'll have to earn his PT, and he'll have to do it over established starters in Leary and Free who played well.

If Leary plays well, how do you bench him in favor of a rookie you've never seen play a pro game?

Collins will have to dominate to earn his time. Not an easy task for a rookie.

 

[NoDak]

And, the idea that he went undrafted being a part of their decision whether he starts or not is absolutely laughable.

And that there is the part that I was talking about. Thank you.

 

[hstour]

You missed the point. The team did not spend a 1st round pick on him and is thus not compelled to put him in the lineup.
If Leary plays better, which he probably will and especially early on, how can you justify putting in Collins?

That is the part I have an issue with. How can you say he probably will when you haven't even seen La'el on the field with the veterans. What happens if Collins comes in and is just superior to Leary?

And sometimes 1st round picks play early just because the are far superior in talent to what is already on the team at the position. Teams tend to use their 1st pick on a talent hole.