It was late March 2011 when then-Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett and offensive line coach Hudson Houck visited the USC campus to watch tackle Tyron Smith at his Pro Day.
Garrett, in his first full-season as head coach, wouldn’t attend many Pro Days afterward, but watching Smith was a significant action: The start of rebuilding the Cowboys offensive line was on.
Now it’s starting again.
On a calm and sunny Thursday afternoon in North Texas, Cowboys officials informed the representatives of starting right tackle La’el Collins he was getting cut. The team tried to trade Collins and even gave his agents permission to find a trade partner.
When a trade didn’t materialize, Cowboys officials cut Collins, making him a post-June 1 cut saving the franchise $10 million.
Releasing Collins, acquired as an undrafted free agent in 2015, was another move toward rebuilding the offensive line.
In the past week, the Cowboys let two starting offensive linemen out the door. Left guard Connor Williams, a 2018 second-round pick from Texas, hit the free agent market. Williams agreed to terms with the Miami Dolphins.
And Collins, who started 10 games last season after missing the 2021 season with hip surgery, will enter the free agent market with the possibility of Cincinnati and New England as possible suitors.
The replacements for Williams and Collins are temporary fixes or long-term replacements. Terence Steele, an undrafted free agent from Texas Tech, started a combined 13 games last season at both tackle spots. He’s the projected starting right tackle with Collins gone.
Dallas tried to replace Williams the moment training camp began last season but he held off Connor McGovern, a 2019 third-round selection. There isn’t much confidence in McGovern’s ability to replace Williams in 2022 so the Cowboys will look toward the draft and maybe free agency for upgrades.
Prior to Garrett becoming head coach, the Cowboys formulated their offensive line through free agency and mid-round draft selections.
There were some successes but none that gave you confidence the Cowboys figured it out.
Enter Smith, the first Cowboys’ player drafted that was born in the 1990s. He was 20-years old when selected ninth-overall. He remains the Cowboys starting left tackle, and the only man from his draft class still cashing checks from a NFL team.
Yet, Smith hasn’t played a full-season since 2015. He’s started 13 games the last two seasons due to health issues. He had neck surgery that cost him the majority of the 2020 season and an ankle injury limited him to 11 starts in 2021. Smith remains one of the best at his position yet numerous questions regarding his health gives you pause about how long he can play.
Finding a replacing for Smith, who turns 31 in December, is on the list of things to do.
You also need to look into the starting center, Tyler Biadasz. Dallas has confidence he can improve in Year 3. There were times he got pushed around too much for anyone’s liking last season.
Biadasz needs to get stronger and another full year in the offseason strength and conditioning program should help.
If not, the Cowboys have options in the draft, especially in the first round.
The only stable man on the offensive line is right guard Zack Martin. His own stability is a slight question, too. He hasn’t played a full-season in two years and missed one game, a calf injury, in 2021. There are few issues with him.
Yet, if you’re going to rebuild the line, why not get it going.
It’s a stunning turn for this offensive line. It was just a few years ago, 2019, that Collins was in tears when the franchise signed him to a five-year contract extension worth $50 million, guaranteeing him $35 million.
He fought through hip problems in 2019 and eventually had hip surgery costing him the 2020 season. Collins returned healthy but not without issues. He was suspended five games of the 2021 season for failing to take league-mandated drug tests.
Without him, Steele took over and made it difficult for the franchise to sit him down.
