According to sources, the Dallas Cowboys have decided to release right tackle La'el Collins after failing to find a suitable trade.
The Cowboys will save $10 million in June. He will count $8.7 million against the salary cap. The Cowboys would have saved just over a million dollars if they had released Collins without designation or traded him.
Collins and his agents were given the ability to seek a trade by the Cowboys. According to sources, the New England Pats had interest, just as they did in Cooper, but the contract of Collins was an issue. The Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets are some of the teams that could be interested in Collins. The release of Collins means that Terence Steele will move into the starting role at right tackle for the Cowboys.
Collins signed a five-year, $50 million contract extension in 2019. The $6.48 million in guarantees were voided because of a five-game suspension last year for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.
Collins missed 21 of 33 games over the past two seasons. He didn't play in 2020 because of hip surgery, but he did play in 12 games in 2022.
The Cowboys offensive line is starting to transition. Williams agreed to a deal with the Dolphins. McGovern is available to replace Williams, but the Cowboys could use a guard or center in the first round.
Collins signed with the Cowboys as a free agent in 2015, but he was not selected in the first round after his name was linked to a murder investigation. He was signed by the Cowboys after dinner at Jerry Jones' house, where he was joined by coaches and soon-to-be teammates.
He missed 13 games in 2016 because of a toe injury, which required surgery. In the next 48 games, Collins started 47 of them at right tackle. His productivity has been hurt by the hip injury, but he had his best season in 2019.
Steele has started 27 games in his first two years with the Cowboys.
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