Today is La’el Collins’ third visit with the Dallas Cowboys. Well, at least not in the standing-around-style way this veteran offensive lineman is fully prepared to do. Collins had a rough run with injuries and his brief stay with the Buffalo Bills. Now, he’s excited to be back on that familiar team in which he played 71 of 74 games from 2015 to 2021. Weighing in at 300 pounds for the first time since high school, he is ready to make an impact, even as he faces uncertainty regarding his position on the final roster.
Collins returns after spending one season with the Cincinnati Bengals. He made 15 starts but was in week 17 when he tore his left ACL and MCL. Odom’s injury and subsequent recovery removed him for an entire season from football entirely. When injuries decimated the Cowboys’ offensive line at the start of training camp, they brought him back. The Cowboys understood Collins’ experience and success would make him a boon addition as they hope to solidify their front seven.
Prior to performing workouts for the Cowboys, Collins spent the day with Dak Prescott’s daughter, MJ. He reiterated his promise to keep her father safe on the field. He said, “Her father is going to be safe,” and promised her, “I’m going to keep your daddy safe.” This endearing moment of levity speaks to Nathan’s deep knowledge of the organization and its players, which further strengthens his commitment to make a real impact.
Collins was present at the retirement ceremonies for other offensive line teammates Zack Martin and Tyron Smith at The Star this past spring. Looking back on the ceremony, he couldn’t contain his enthusiasm, noting, “It was great! I really enjoyed just being there to provide support to you all as you transition into the next stage of your lives.” So I’m going to let them lay the foundation for that and I’m going to keep chopping wood on this end. And we’ll meet again. His sentiments are a testament to the amount of respect he has for his teammates and how eager he is to extend his own career.
Even with Collins’ enthusiasm out of the way, Collins certainly isn’t a lock to make the final roster. He feels the league is as competitive and as difficult as it’s going to get. You know what I mean obviously I guess the best case scenario was to return back where it all began and that’s to be here. I mean it’s nowhere else I’d rather be, that’s 100% true,” he said. Collins stressed that not being in Dallas these past few years, it was still “home” to him.
His journey has not been without hurdles. This past season, after leaving the Cowboys for the Bengals, Collins experienced hellish adversity after suffering his injuries. But that hasn’t slowed his drive to get back to his old self. “I told them coming into it, like, ‘Hey, I’m coming to you guys’ retirement, but don’t let none of that stuff rub off on me because I’m not done yet,’” he asserted.
It’s hard not to be impressed by Collins’ experience and resilience as he attempts to cement his place with the Cowboys once more. His inner drive to continue to grow and learn makes itself evident in the way he connects with current players. Teammate Elam noted Collins’ wealth of experience, stating, “With that much experience and that much level of success, a lot of people don’t really fall into that.”
Collins’ mentality coming into this year appears to be laser-focused on getting himself in prime shape and ready to go. Emotionally, he argues, he has a deep emotional connection to the Dallas Cowboys organization. His story serves as a testament to the power of personal commitment meeting professional drive.
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