Cowboys kicking tires on former star OT, familiar face amid injury woes

Desperate times call for desperate measures, so the Dallas Cowboys are kicking the tires on an old friend. Following a sudden flurry of injuries along the line throughout the first two weeks of training camp in Oxnard, California, the Cowboys are down several offensive linemen.

From starting left tackle Tyler Guyton, who will miss several weeks, to All-Pro Tyler Smith, who is dealing with knee tendinitis, according to Jerry Jones, the team could use some reinforcements.

So, on Friday, when the team has the day off from practice, the Cowboys will be working out offensive tackle La'el Collins, who has had two previous stints with the team.

MORE: Cowboys All-Pro Tyler Smith dealing with minor knee injury as o-line issues pile up

Throughout his time in Dallas, Collins started 71 of 74 games.

Offensive tackle La'el Collins heads out to the field during the Dallas Cowboys' first full day of training camp at the River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard | JUAN CARLO/THE STAR via Imagn Content Services, LLC

ESPN's Todd Archer was first to report the news.

The 32-year-old Collins joined the Cowboys in 2015 as an undrafted free agent out of LSU. He played for the Cowboys from 2015-2021.

MORE: Cowboys lose another OL as former Super Bowl starter suffers head injury

Collins signed a three-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022 to reunite with offensive line coach Frank Pollack, who held the same position in Dallas. He was released the following year after dealing with multiple injuries. Collings then signed to the team's practice squad in January 2024, but was released just two weeks later.

Last year, Collins signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills, but was released during final roster cuts and did not find a home for the 2024 season. Whether or not Collins' workout with Dallas goes well remains to be seen, but if it does, maybe the third time in Big D will be a charm.

Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle La'el Collins reports as an eligible receiver entering the game against the Minnesota Vikings | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

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