The Dallas Cowboys released the right tackle Thursday after no trades. Cowboys will be able to save $10 million by making this move, which will take effect in June. He will still be eligible for $8.7 million of the 2023 salary cap. They would have only saved $1.3 million if they had traded Collins or released Collins without his designation.
The Cowboys held trade talks with the NFL scouting team and gave Peter Schaffer and Deryk Gilmore permission to make a deal. According to sources, the New England Patriots were interested in Collins, as was Amari Cooper. However, Collins’ contract was a problem. Collins is expected to be in demand by the Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins as well as the New York Jets. The Cowboys will be able to move Terence Steele into the right tackle position with the release of Collins.
Collins signed a $50 million, five-year contract extension in 2019, which included guaranteed money for the 2019 season. The guarantees of $6.48million were canceled after Collins was suspended for five games last year for violating NFL’s substance abuse policy.
Collins has missed 21 of 33 games over the past two seasons due to injury or suspension. Due to hip surgery, Collins did not play in 2020 and he only played 10 of the 12 2022 games.
The Cowboys are making a shift in their offensive line. Left guard Connor Williams has agreed to a contract with the Dolphins. The Cowboys currently have Connor MacGovern available to take Williams’ place. However, they could also look to the draft (specifically in the first round at No. 24 — For a center or guard.
After being a possible first-round selection, Collins was made an undrafted free agent. This happened after he was linked to a murder investigation. After a dinner at Jerry Jones’ house, Collins was signed by the Cowboys. He was accompanied by his coaches and soon-to be teammates.
His career began at left guard, but he missed 13 games due to a toe injury in 2016. Collins switched to right tackle in 2017 and played in 47 of the 48 remaining games. Collins had his best season of 2019, but a hip injury has limited his productivity.
Steele was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted agent in 2020. He has played 27 games in his two first years.
According to a source, the Cowboys and defensive end Dorance Armstrong reached a deal on Thursday for $13 million.
Last season, he had five sacks for Cowboys that were a record-breaking number. This was in addition to 20 pressures and 37 tackles.