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When one thinks about Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackles and where they might fit in the NFL hierarchy, Jonah Williams is usually the first name to come to mind.
But it’s new arrival La’el Collins, not Williams, who charts on a new list of the NFL’s best offensive tackles.
Collins, despite missing all of 2020 and a little time last year due to a suspension, charts as the final member of a 12 best tackles list from Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar:
“Collins isn’t technique-perfect, but he’s able to envelop edge-rushers off the snap, and he can deflect pressure very well when he gets his hands out and active. Here, against Cardinals pass-rusher Chandler Jones in Week 17, Collins (No. 71) gives Jones no shot at getting anywhere near Dak Prescott on this 26-yard pass to CeeDee Lamb.”
It says a lot that despite all the extra stuff in recent years, Collins is able to crack a leaguewide list like this. There’s a reason a possible future Hall of Famer and new Ring of Honor member Willie Anderson just took a moment to talk him up, too.
While most anyone would have been an upgrade on what the Bengals put on the field on the right side of the line over the last few seasons, Collins was about as good as it got among available options, hence that very public pursuit.
Should Collins reach this top-12 potential consistently, it’s safe for fans to keep projecting the offense only improves in 2022.
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