Cowboys Surprise: Jerry Jones Reveals O-Line Plan in Place of La’el Collins
FRISCO - In the wake of the five-game NFL suspension of starter La’el Collins, the Dallas Cowboys argued that they had “options.”
They just announced a rather surprising one.
Team owner Jerry Jones on Tuesday told “Shan & RJ” on 105.3 The Fan that starting with Sunday’s Week 2 game at the Los Angeles Chargers - and, if the idea survives the day, continuing after- it will be Terence Steele who will get start at right tackle.
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Steele, a young undrafted player from Texas Tech who got his baptism in emergency starts last year for Dallas’ battered line, is a favorite of this coaching staff. He therefore leap-frogs over newcomer veteran Ty Nsekhe, who was signed by the personnel department this off-season to serve as the swing tackle for this exact situation.
Nsekhe did nothing to impress in training camp or in preseason. It could be argued that Steele was no different.
A simple solution to Collins' absence would have been to slide All-Pro guard Zack Martin - who missed last week's opener in Tampa Bay because of COVID - to right tackle and allow Connor McGovern to remain at right guard. By all accounts, McGovern held up reasonably well against the Buccaneers' fearsome front four.
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Instead, the Cowboys will bench McGovern, return Martin to his best fit and insert Steele, who at times in 2020 looked completely overhelmed filling in at left tackle for the injured Tyron Smith.
Playing the underwhelming Steele at right tackle is likely music to the ears of Chargers' three-time Pro Bowl pass-rusher Joey Bosa.
