Just last week former LSU Tigers offensive tackle La’el Collins left practice with what was described as a neck/shoulder injury. He would return to the lineup to play in the Dallas Cowboys preseason game against Houston Texans. In that game, Collins would play in 19 offensive snaps. It appeared that he was once again healthy.
Ahead of the final preseason game of the year for Dallas against the Jacksonville Jaguars, it appears that La’el Collins is once again dealing with an injury.
La’el Collins left practice today with a stinger, a source tells @dmn_cowboys
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) August 27, 2021
After dealing with stiffness in his neck and shoulder area, a stinger seems like a less than stellar situation for the former undrafted free agent. Collins missed all of last season after needing hip surgery. The Cowboys had to use multiple players at right tackle and none of which seemed up to the challenge in 2020.
La’el also missed time in 2016 as well when he needed surgery to fix ligament damage in his right big toe. If he is going to miss time in 2021, the Cowboys might find themselves in a precarious position once again.
After the injury to Collins, swing tackle Ty Nsekhe took over the snaps at right tackle for the remainder of practice. Nsekhe is a journeyman in the NFL with plenty of experience, but Dallas needs Collins’ injury to be one that doesn’t linger into the season.
Fourth-round rookie Josh Ball has been out of action for much of the month, likely ending his chances of being the swing tackle conversation for the start of the season. – Cameron Burnett, Cowboys Wire