La’el Collins Reportedly Finalizing 3-Year Bengals Contract After Cowboys Release

According to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, veteran offensive tackle Lael Collins is close to a contract with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Albert Breer of The MMQB said it will be three years.

The Dallas Cowboys saved $10 million by releasing Collins in March. He was shopped on the trade market by the Cowboys before they cut him.

Collins is one of the better right tackles when he is healthy. According to Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus, he has earned 70.0-plus PFF pass-blocking grades in three straight seasons.

Collins is fifth among all right tackles in PFF grade since the beginning of the year, playing 1,743 snaps.

Staying on the field has been a problem. Hip surgery cost him the entire 2020 season, and a violation of the NFL's substance-abuse policy led to a five-game suspension last season.

The Cowboys have had one of the top offensive lines in recent years, and a healthy Collins was always a huge factor in that success. That made Collins a logical target for teams in need of an upgrade at right tackle, and Cincinnati swooped in.

Signing Collins was always a good idea because the Cincinnati team inquired about him in trade talks before he was released.

The offensive line has been improved by the addition of Ted Karras and Alex Cappa, as well as the signing of Joe Burrow. The weakness of last season has become a strength.