“Your new bodyguard is in town.”
That’s the text message new Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle La’el Collins sent to Joe Burrow on Sunday after agreeing to his three-year contract with the team.
Collins had an in-house media session with the Bengals after signing the deal, which locks him in as the starting right tackle for the next three seasons in front of Burrow.
As the story goes, Burrow played a key role this weekend in Cincinnati recruiting and hosting Collins. And Sunday, he apparently texted Collins asking if the offensive tackle had signed on the dotted line.
Collins sent Burrow back the following, per Marisa Contipelli of the team’s website: “Your new bodyguard is in town, no one’s touching you.”
Indeed — Collins is one of the best right tackles in football when healthy and he’s the third major upgrade the Bengals have signed in free agency less than a week after the market opened.
